Didi Dramani believes Southampton signed a ‘basically unstoppable’ winger in Kamaldeen Sulemana. The forward rejected Everton for his transfer to the Saints from Stade Rennais.
Southampton struck a £22m deal on deadline day to sign Sulemana as Nathan Jones hired fresh attacking options. The St Mary’s natives also secured an £18.5m move for KRC Genk striker Paul Onuachu. Jones hopes the pair now helps guide the south coast side to safety.
The Saints sit at the bottom of the standings with only 15 points from 20 games so far this season. Everton have also only amassed 15 points from 20 games and edge the Saints only on goal difference. But the Toffees have the division’s second-worst attack behind Wolves.
Everton have scored just 15 goals through their fixtures so far this season to Wolves on 12. Southampton have also only found the net for 17 goals – ahead of Nottingham Forest (16) and level with West Ham United. But the Saints have conceded 35 goals to the Toffees’ 28.
Jones will want Sulemana to now show at Southampton why Everton also eyed his transfer from Stade Rennais in January. The Daily Mail reported Rennes accepted £22m offers from both teams. But L’Equipe journalist Emery Taisne added he rejected the Toffees’ approach.
Dramani now shares why Everton and Southampton sought Sulemana’s transfer
Everton chased Sulemana’s transfer from Stade Rennais before he favoured Southampton despite only scoring once through 20 games in all competitions this term. The 20-year-old also only laid on two assists over 536 minutes and started in just three of his appearances.
Yet while he does not arrive in the Premier League with a prolific output, Dramani believes in the Ghana international. The Black Stars’ assistant manager has worked with the winger throughout his career. He worked at the 15-cap star’s academy and with FC Nordsjaelland.
“His strength is coming inside as a wide player,” Dramani has now told Sky Sports. “He is very dynamic in his movement [and] very unpredictable where he wants to go with either foot. When he is in space, he is basically unstoppable in one-on-one situations.”
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