Southampton have been handed a second chance to secure the signing of Rick Karsdorp after the Roma defender saw his move to Champions League quarter-finalists Atalanta collapse, according to Sky Italia.
The Saints have been finding their search for a new right-back difficult.
Kyle Walker-Peters has joined on a permanent deal after an impressive loan spell from Tottenham but, with Cedric Soares gone and Yan Valery proving erratic, another new face would be more than welcome on the South Coast.
So far, however, Southampton have watched Aston Villa snap up Matty Cash while Deyovaisio Zeefuik made it clear he had no interest in heading to St Mary’s, joining Hertha Berlin instead.
But after being so publicly snubbed by Zeefuik, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s rapidly improving side has been handed the chance to sign another attack-minded Dutchman.
Sky claims Atalanta failed to agree a deal with Roma for Karsdorp, turning their attention to Valencia’s Cristiano Piccini instead.
That means Southampton are suddenly back in the race.
Roma are willing to sell the former Feyenoord starlet for a reduced fee of £5 million following a couple of injury-hit years, with Voetbal International naming St Mary’s as a potential destination for the £35,000-a-week man.
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