Champion League
Martin Eyeing Swoop To Sign £61k-p/w Romeu Heir At St Mary’s

An replace has emerged on Southampton and their plans so as to add a 3rd new signing to the group forward of the 2023/24 Championship marketing campaign…
What is the newest Southampton switch information?
In response to the Sky Sports transfer centre [19:33pm – 24th July], Russell Martin is eyeing up a swoop to signal Leicester Metropolis defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury following the arrivals of Shae Charles and Ryan Manning.
The report claims that the Saints head coach has been a long-time admirer of the English enforcer and would now wish to deliver him to St. Mary’s through the summer time switch window.
It states that the 25-year-old ball-winner has one 12 months left on his present contract on the King Energy however Enzo Maresca sees the gem as being a part of his plans because it stands, which might make this a tough deal for the membership to finish.
How good is Hamza Choudhury?
The Foxes academy graduate is coming off the again of a superb season on mortgage with Watford within the Championship and would, due to this fact, be a part of Southampton as a confirmed second-tier performer who might slot straight into the group.
He’s a combative midfielder who excels at profitable possession again for his aspect frequently and may very well be the membership’s subsequent Oriol Romeu, who recently signed for Spanish giants Barcelona from Girona.
Throughout his time at St. Mary’s, the spectacular Spaniard solid a popularity for being a tough-tackling holding midfielder. In his final season with the Saints, Romeu made 3.5 tackles and interceptions per sport throughout 36 Premier League matches through the 2021/22 marketing campaign.
That got here after the 31-year-old brute made an eye catching 4.7 defensive interventions per outing all through the earlier top-flight time period, which was greater than any other midfielder on the membership managed.
Choudhury’s type for Watford within the season simply gone signifies that he has the flexibility to supply an identical degree of defensive safety in entrance of the again 4 in a holding midfield place.
The £61k-per-week battler made an excellent 5.3 tackles and interceptions per match throughout 36 league appearances for the Hornets. Whereas, no Saints midfielder produced greater than 3.2 per outing throughout their Premier League marketing campaign.
For his shows final season, the Leicester ace ranks within the prime 1% of his positional friends throughout the Championship for interceptions per 90 (2.40) and throughout the prime 3% for tackles per 90 (3.20), as per FBref.
This means that he is likely one of the greatest midfielders within the division with regards to disrupting play and slicing out opposition assaults frequently, which is what Romeu excelled at.
Choudhury’s common Sofascore rating of 6.96, albeit at second tier degree, would even have placed him third inside Southampton’s squad – solely behind James Ward-Prowse and Mohamed Salisu – as one in all their top-performing gamers.
Subsequently, the sturdy warrior, who journalist Ben Jacobs claimed nonetheless has “large potential”, may very well be Romeu 2.0 for the Saints as a holding midfielder who can always win the ball again for the group with tackles and interceptions.
On the age of 25, he would additionally are available in as a participant with extra room to develop below Martin’s teaching and may very well be a long-term funding in addition to a star with the standard to make a direct affect.