According to reports by Italian media outlet Calciomercato, Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid are all interested in signing Red Bull Salzburg winger Dimitri Oberlin, who is currently on loan with FC Basel.
Calciomercato says the 20-year-old is attracting interest from all three of the European giants following some standout performances for the Swiss side both domestically and in the Champions League this term, and he could be on the move either in January or next summer if a deal can be agreed.
Meanwhile, Southampton’s miserable start to the season continued as they were beaten 1-0 by Burnley at St Mary’s on Saturday, with manager Mauricio Pellegrino likely to dip into the transfer market for some attacking players in January – if he is still in the role by then.
One man they could be keeping close tabs on is Oberlin, and he could give them the spark in the final third they are missing right now having scored just nine goals in their 11 Premier League matches this term.
Here are three reasons Southampton should hijack Man United’s move for the Cameroon-born attacker…
His stats
Even though he only turned 20 years of age at the start of September, Oberlin has already made a big impression for both Red Bull Salzburg and FC Basel to suggest that he may already be ready to make a huge impact in the Premier League.
As well as scoring four goals and providing a further three assists in 20 appearances for parent club Salzburg, the Switzerland Under-21 international also has six goals and one assist in 15 outings for Basel this term despite the majority of those coming from the substitutes’ bench.
The two goals and one assist in the 5-0 win against Benfica in the Champions League back in September certainly would have caught the eye of any scouts in attendance.
Pace
One of the things that Southampton are really lacking in their frontline right now – and probably since the departure to Sadio Mane to Liverpool in 2016 – is that pace and a player who runs directly at opposition defences.
Oberlin has already shown in his time with both Red Bull Salzburg and FC Basel that he is capable of doing exactly that, and he showed his speed for one of his goals in the 5-0 win against Benfica in September.
If Saints need to play on the counterattack or break down opposition defences in the second half of the campaign, the 20-year-old could be the ideal addition and would provide an extra dimension to their attacking options.
First-team football
While the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid are reportedly interested in the 20-year-old, it seems unlikely that he will be given too many first team opportunities at any of those clubs considering he isn’t even a regular for Basel or Salzburg yet.
It would probably be a different story if the attacker moved to St Mary’s as the south coast outfit have become renowned for giving players opportunities who aren’t the finished article a platform to improve and then move on, and that regular game time could be the most important factor in any potential deal.
The fact Southampton dealt with Salzburg when they bought Mane in 2014 could also help them in any potential negotiations.
Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.