Southampton are reportedly in favour of a move to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Wimmer but are not too pleased with the £20 million price tag
According to a report by The Mirror, Southampton are keen on bolstering their defence ahead of next season and are eyeing Tottenham Hotspur’s £20 million-rated Kevin Wimmer. However, the price might be an issue since the Saints are not ready to splash such a huge amount for Wimmer.
Wimmer joined Spurs from Bundesliga outfit Koln back in 2015, as Mauricio Pochettino was looking to provide cover for Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld in the back. The move did not turn out to be quite successful since the Austrian has managed only 15 Premier League appearances in two seasons.
The 24-year-old did not slot in even when Pochettino changed his formation to play with three centre backs and Eric Dier was chosen ahead of him.
These measly numbers are not good for any player and Wimmer is expected to seek a move outside the club this summer in order to get more playing time. A stay in the Premier League seems to be on the cards for Wimmer since Southampton are believed to be keen on adding him to their back line.
If the move does go through, Wimmer can greatly benefit from a move to Southampton. They are searching for a long-term replacement for their former skipper Jose Fonte who joined West Ham back in January. Also, Virgil Van Dijk is expected to leave the club, so Wimmer can also be a replacement for him.
Filling a void left by a player like Van Dijk will not be a walk in the park, but this might be the big break Wimmer desperately needed.
With big clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United vying to sign Van Dijk, the Saints will need to purchase at least one defender with enough potential and Wimmer might be their best bet if Spurs reduce the asking price.
Meanwhile, the Saints will also have to deal with several other hurdles before the next season comes up. Last season, they finished extremely poorly with only one win in their final eight league games under their former manager Claude Puel. They need a new manager to replace him and reports suggest that Ryan Giggs is likely to take over.