Southampton’s hopes of signing the Spartak Moscow window are diminishing as the window winds down.
Southampton face missing out on Spartak Moscow winger Quincy Promes with Sky Sports reporting that a January transfer deadline day is unlikely.
Sky Sports understands that the Saints have matched the Dutchman’s asking price – in the region of £30m – but that CSKA are refusing to sell as they won’t have time to buy a replacement.
Promes would be a huge coup for the Saints, who continue to sell their best players – Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool this month being the latest – and could do with a boost in the transfer market.
The 26-year-old has an excellent pedigree, scoring 53 goals in 101 Russian Premier League appearances from out wide for Spartak, and winning the Russian Premier League footballer of the year for 2017.
With a record like that, Southampton need to do everything they can to sign Promes this month, otherwise bigger clubs may come calling in the summer with Sky Sports touting Liverpool as admirers.
Could the Saints use misfiring striker Manolo Gabbiadini to try to persuade Spartak to part with Promes now?
Although not a direct replacement, the Italian forward would potentially fill the goalscoring void left behind by Promes, who is Moscow’s top scorer this season with 12 in all competitions.
Gabbiadini was an initial hit upon moving to St Mary’s from Napoli last January, but his goals have dried up this season and he has only started two Premier League games since November.
The arrival of Guido Carrillo from Monaco seems likely to harm Gabbiadini’s chances further, and the 26-year-old is arguably dispensable if offloading him helps the Saints land a player of Promes’ calbire.
What do you think, Southampton fans? Would you use Gabbiadini as a makeweight in a deal for Promes?
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