Will Cyle Larin sign for Southampton permanently? Everything we know right now | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at how likely Southampton are to sign Cyle Larin permanently following his Championship loan spell.

Cyle Larin has been a key player for Southampton since joining the Saints on loan from Spanish outfit Mallorca in February.

The St Mary's Stadium outfit have been on largely resurgent form under Tonda Eckert, but Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town confirmed that they will have to navigate the play-offs to book their spot in next season's Premier League.

Larin scored in the 80th minute to put the Saints 2-1 up against Ipswich on home soil, but Jack Clarke notched a goal seven minutes later to earn a vital point for the Tractor Boys.

The man on loan from Mallorca's strike against Kieran McKenna's men marked his seventh goal in 15 Championship appearances since joining Southampton.

Southampton have the option to buy Cyle Larin permanently but Tonda Eckert must consider other factors

Southampton have the option to buy Larin permanently, as per Spanish outlet Cadenaser, which makes a permanent move for the Canada international logistically simple.

When the Saints sold hotshot Adam Armstrong to Wolves in the winter transfer window, supporters were worried that the decision would damage their promotion credentials.

However, Larin's recent form, which has seen him score two goals in his last two Championship games, suggests that the 31-year-old can fire his side to the Premier League via the play-offs.

The former Besiktas man will hope to find himself on the scoresheet once again when Southampton travel to Preston North End this weekend.

Larin's return of seven goals in 18 appearances for Eckert's men across all competitions suggests that he is a capable attacker who could even produce the goods in the Premier League.

However, before joining the Saints in February, the Canada striker endured a less productive loan spell with Dutch club Feyenoord, scoring just one goal in 15 games.

Furthermore, Larin's overall record for his parent club, Mallorca, is uninspiring as he has notched 14 goals in 76 appearances for the La Liga outfit since joining them in the summer of 2023.

Therefore, the striker's current form could be a purple patch that he will struggle to emulate next season, especially if Southampton win promotion to the top flight.

Larin hasn't managed to reach double figures since notching 23 goals for Turkish club Besiktas in the 2020/21 season, so the Hampshire club may think twice before exercising their option to buy him.

Cyle Larin's Southampton future may be more likely if Saints fail to win promotion

Larin's performances in recent weeks have been a key reason behind the fact that the Saints can land an immediate Premier League return via the play-offs.

He proved that he can score against some of the best teams in the Championship by notching against Ipswich on Tuesday, and will have to produce those sorts of goods again to help guide Southampton to the top flight.

However, as previously mentioned, the 31-year-old's goalscoring record, across multiple top-tier divisions in Europe, has been incredibly mixed.

Therefore, the Saints may be more convinced that Larin is the right man to lead the line for them if they remain in the Championship, rather than clinching promotion to the Premier League.

Eckert should want a striker with a stronger track record than the man on loan from Mallorca if he steers his side to promotion.