Since the 24-year-old signed for Stoke, things haven’t exactly gone to plan for both the player or the Potters. But he could do a job for Southampton, especially with Barcelona reportedly interested in one of their midfielders.
Stoke’s Giannelli Imbula in action with Manchester City’s Jesus Navas
Following news that Stoke City boss Mark Hughes is happy to listen to offers for the club’s record signing in Giannelli Imbula, as reports BBC Sport, Southampton should be alerted as giving the player a second chance in England could be hugely beneficial to them.
Stoke signed the 24-year-old powerhouse midfielder from Porto in the 2015/16 January transfer window for £18.3m, as reports BBC Sport, but things haven’t gone well for Imbula since signing, with the midfielder floating in and out of the Stoke side, making just 26 Premier League appearances in a season and a half.
However, you don’t suddenly become a bad player overnight – and with AS Roma floating around, as reports the Telegraph, there’s still every reason to believe that Imbula is a top talent that could come good in the Premier League.
While Southampton are fairly well stocked in defensive midfield with the likes of Oriol Romeu and Jordy Clasie, The Sun is reporting that Barcelona are interested in re-signing Romeu, and with Imbula available at a cut-price deal, Southampton should consider weighing up a move for the Frenchman as a Victor Wanyama-like alternative to Romeu – or in worst case – a replacement.
Stoke’s Giannelli Imbula scores their first goal
Imbula’s inability to settle in England could be down to a host of things – Hughes’ playing style with Stoke, not being given a consistent starting berth or simply not struggling to settle in the area, but it’s clear the boy is very talented and shouldn’t be written off just yet.
With Southampton bracing themselves for losing their best players – again – in Romeu and the continuing links regarding Virgin van Dijk, this could be another summer where the club astutely replace those players, and Imbula could definitely do a job at St Mary’s if signed.
Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in action with Stoke City’s Giannelli Imbula
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