The Everton midfielder would be a useful addition for Southampton.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhüttl will be desperate to bolster his ranks at St Mary’s this month, as he looks to guide his side away from relegation trouble during the second half of the season.
One particular area where the Austrian might be looking to strengthen is his central midfield department, especially having lost Steven Davis to Rangers for the remainder of the campaign.
With this in mind, the Saints should consider a move for Everton midfielder James McCarthy, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Republic of Ireland international is keen to leave Goodison Park in search of more regular first-team action.
The 28-year-old joined the Blues from Wigan Athletic for £13 million in the summer of 2013, and he has gone on to make 132 appearances for the Merseyside outfit.
Whilst McCarthy hasn’t featured much of late, he still has a lot to offer at the very highest level, and he might just be exactly what Southampton need.
The 41-capped Ireland international possesses an exceptional work-rate, and that kind of application and commitment would undoubtedly rub off on the rest of the Saints team.
McCarthy is a also a tenacious competitor, and he would give Southampton an extra edge about them in the middle of the park.
The former Wigan man is under contract with Everton until the summer of 2020, so the south coast club could surely tempt their Premier League rivals into selling, considering the fact that he would be entering the final 12 moths of his contract at the end of this season.
And if Hasenhüttl does manage to bring McCarthy to St Mary’s, he could turn out to be an excellent addition for Southampton.
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