Southampton: Saints linked with Peter Olayinka | OneFootball

Southampton have been linked with a move for Peter Olayinka recently and the Nigerian could prove to be the next Graziano Pelle in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side next season.

According to Premier League.cz, with 90min, Brighton, Aston Villa and Southampton are all considering a move for the Slavia Prague forward, who is likely to cost around £6m-£7m this summer.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed an excellent season with the Czech side and was a key factor in their impressive run to the Europa League quarter-finals, contributing three goals and two assists in 11 appearances, averaging a solid 6.93 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He also managed six goals and three assists in 24 appearances in the Fortuna Liga this season, which is a fairly impressive return given that he predominantly features out wide.

Although the majority of his appearances have come on the left wing in his time with Slavia, he has regularly played as a striker in the past and it seems likely that, if he were to make the move to St Mary’s this summer, he would be deployed up front by Hasenhuttl.

The Austrian likes to play a 4-2-2-2 formation with wingers such as Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond in more of an attacking midfield role out wide, and it seems unlikely that Olayinka would fit in with that style of play, with his 1.88m (6 foot 2) frame suiting him more to a striker role at Southampton.

Therefore, the £6.3m-rated forward could well prove to be Southampton’s next Pelle, who was arguably the last physical target man to enjoy success with the south coast club.

In 80 appearances for the Saints, the 1.94m (6 foot 4) Italian striker contributed an impressive 30 goals and 10 assists before completing a £13m move to Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan in 2016.

Since then, Southampton have mainly used small, quick strikers in the mould of Danny Ings, Che Adams and Shane Long, so Olayinka could really revolutionise the way the Austrian sets up his side next season.

Therefore, Martin Semmens should definitely consider a move for the Nigerian this summer, as he could prove to be a bargain addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad ahead of next season.

In other news… Southampton should swoop for 21 y/o beast tipped to become “one of the best in Europe”