Southampton in talks to sign ex-Ipswich Town striker for €10m | OneFootball

Southampton are reportedly in talks to sign Como striker Ivan Azon, who had a loan spell at Ipswich Town last season.

Southampton are preparing for another season in the Championship after a controversial end to the previous campaign.

After recording a fourth-placed finish in the Championship, Southampton booked their place in the play-off final with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Middlesbrough in their semi-final, but they were expelled from the Wembley showpiece as a result of the 'spygate' scandal.

Saints owner Dragan Solak confirmed last month that head coach Tonda Eckert retains his full support, but there could still be further consequences for the German as he awaits the outcome of the FA investigation into his actions.

Southampton have made three new signings so far this summer, with Daniel Peretz, George Long and Cyle Larin all completing permanent moves to St Mary's after loan spells last season, but more additions will be needed after the departures of the likes of Alex McCarthy, Charlie Taylor, Joe Aribo, Oriol Romeu, Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart.

It seems the Saints are set to sign Aston Villa forward Lewis Dobbin in a deal worth £9 million plus add-ons following his impressive loan stint at Preston North End last season, but he may not be the only big-money arrival at St Mary's in the coming weeks.

Southampton in talks to sign ex-Ipswich Town striker Ivan Azon

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Southampton may be on the verge of sealing a deal for Dobbin, but it appears they are already plotting another high-profile capture, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that they have opened talks to sign Como striker Ivan Azon.

The Saints are said to have made an initial approach for Azon, who spent last season on loan at Ipswich Town in the Championship, with discussions taking place between the two clubs over a potential €9-10 million fee.

After making the move to Portman Road in the final week of the summer transfer window, Azon scored five goals and provided four assists in 40 appearances for the Tractor Boys last season to help them to automatic promotion to the Premier League.

However, only 20 of Azon's 40 appearances for Ipswich came from the start as then-manager Kieran McKenna rotated between the Spaniard and George Hirst, and with no option or obligation to buy included in the deal, it seems unlikely that he will be returning to Suffolk this summer.

The Tractor Boys, now under the management of Gary O'Neil, recently signed striker Emersonn from French side Toulouse for a club-record fee of £24 million plus add-ons, providing further evidence that they will not pursue a fresh deal for Azon, which could open the door for Southampton to land the 23-year-old.

Azon has not made a single appearance for Como since joining from Real Zaragoza last February, suggesting he is not part of head coach Cesc Fàbregas' plans, but it remains to be seen whether the Saints will be prepared to pay as much as €10 million for the striker, which would equate to around £8.5 million.

Ivan Azon could be the perfect striker addition for Southampton

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Given the impact he made in the second half of last season, it seems certain that Larin will be Southampton's starting striker next season, but Eckert needs greater depth in the forward areas to provide back-up for the Canada international.

Azon may not have been a regular scorer for Ipswich last season, but he still chipped in with a number of important goals for the Tractor Boys in their promotion campaign, and he could be a useful asset for the Saints to have in their squad.

Even if he is not a frequent starter at St Mary's, Azon would be more than capable of filling in for Larin when required or coming off the bench to make a difference, and his previous Championship promotion experience could also benefit Southampton as they look to secure a return to the Premier League next season.