Southampton have now opened talks over a deal for a £12m Championship star, who could be brought in as a replacement for Mateus Fernandes, according to a report.
Fernandes' future remains up in the air
Unlike some other high-profile players, Fernandes has not downed tools in order to force a move this summer, featuring in the opening two Championship games, even though the Saints’ midfielder has been attracting serious interest from the Premier League.
Indeed, West Ham United have now submitted an offer for the 21-year-old, while there has also been interest from elsewhere, with the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa also being named as potential suitors.
Given that the Hammers’ most recent offer was deemed unacceptable, it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese midfielder moves on this summer, but Will Still’s side have already made a move for a potential replacement.
That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which states Southampton have now opened talks over a deal for Middlesbrough’s Finn Azaz, with an offer worth up to £12m currently under discussion.
The negotiations for Azaz got underway straight after West Ham made an offer for Fernandes, and given that the 24-year-old excels in both attacking and central midfield roles, it seems as though he is being targeted as a direct replacement for the youngster.
However, the need for Still to bring in a new attacker is also exacerbated by the interest in Tyler Dibling, with a number of Premier League clubs still keen on signing the young winger.
Azaz could be exciting replacement for Fernandes
Fernandes has featured in the Saints’ opening three games this season, most notably scoring the winner after starting and finishing a move against Northampton in the EFL Cup.
As such, Still will be disappointed if he loses an important player, but there are signs that Azaz could be a top-quality replacement, having received very high praise from former manager Michael Carrick last season.
Carrick said: “We know his quality, his eye for a pass and for finding spaces to create for others. He’s an intelligent player and he can score goals as well. He did so before he came here and it was one the reasons we bought him. He’s got the whole package really.”
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The Championship star was very impressive from an attacking point of view last term, chipping in with 23 goal contributions in 45 league outings for Boro, which suggests he would be very capable of slotting straight into Still’s promotion-chasing Southampton side.
Losing Fernandes would be tough to take, but it would not be a surprise if the starlet is eager to return to the Premier League, and Azaz could be the ideal replacement.
