Who Is Jofre Carreras & Why Could Southampton Be Interested In Him? | OneFootball

According to journalist Angel Garcia, Southampton are interested in the signing of 24-year-old Jofre Carreras.

A right-winger, Carreras is not renowned for his goalscoring ability. He managed just one goal this season and has scored only 10 times across his professional career.

He plays for La Liga side Espanyol – his boyhood club. He recently extended his contract with them until 2029, but limited opportunities this season suggest his time at the club may be coming to an end.

Carreras started just 9 league games this season while accumulating fewer than 1000 minutes in Spain’s first division. He amassed his lowest number of appearances for the club (27) since 2021.

What Would He Bring?

He acts as more of a traditional winger, similar to Southampton winger Tom Fellows. He’s primarily right-footed, while comfortable on his left too, and operates out wide rather than constantly drifting inwards.

Even though Carreras isn’t known for his goal-scoring ability, the Espanyol winger offers width and direct running – both on and off the ball. Amongst other La Liga wingers, he ranks 2nd for offensive duel percentage and in the 82nd percentile for offensive duels won. Tonda Eckert adopts a pressing system at Southampton, meaning the front line of his press must be efficient to restrict opposition chances.

Before this year, Carreras had been steadily building confidence in terms of output. In the 2023/24 campaign, he notched five goals and four assists in La Liga 2, alongside six goal contributions upon promotion the following season.

This highlights the potential Southampton may see in the Spaniard.

Why Could It Work?

In a league like the Championship, where players often rediscover form, it can be the perfect environment to build confidence. Previous Southampton loanees Cyle Larin and Daniel Peretz, both of whom impressed on the South Coast, succeeded in signing permanently.

Head Coach Tonda Eckert has successfully demonstrated his ability to restore belief in the players. When he took over Southampton in November, they were 21st. He guided them to a memorable cup run and an unbeaten league run, finishing the campaign in 4th.

Do Saints Need Another Right-Winger?

In terms of right-wingers, the Saints already have some of the highest performers in the league. Both Kuryu Matsuki and Tom Fellows are highly capable at this level, so why sign another?

Carreras is at his best when isolating full-backs in one-on-one situations. Rather than cutting inside in search of goals, he prefers driving down the outside and delivering crosses into the penalty area. He averages over one accurate cross per 90.

He often bypasses safe options in favour of high-risk, progressive passes, reflected by a creativity ratio that sits in the 96th percentile among wingers in his division, per DataMB.

Saints chairman Dragan Solak, in an interview with the Daily Echo, revealed Southampton will be looking to sign competition for attacking midfielder Finn Azaz.

Matsuki has operated as a winger under Eckert. Yet, he has often played in that attacking midfield position behind the striker, notably, during his brief loan spell at Turkish side Göztepe. Having additional width from another wide-operating winger could allow someone like Matsuki to drift centrally, provide rotational cover for Azaz and drop into the right inside channel to have an effect between the lines.

While Carreras may fit the profile of a winger Southampton admire, it is fair to question whether another right-sided attacker is truly a priority this summer. The Saints already have strong options in that area, with Matsuki in particular excelling under Eckert out wide.

Despite being comfortable in a central attacking role, the Japanese midfielder scored four goals and registered one assist from the right flank, providing both end product and tactical flexibility. With Southampton reportedly prioritising the addition of another attacking midfielder to compete with Finn Azaz, resources may be better directed elsewhere.

Carreras would add depth, width and a level of creativity, but unless there are expected departures, strengthening the central attacking area remains the more pressing need for the Saints heading into the new season.