Within touching distance of Ipswich Town in the second automatic promotion spot, Southampton could use the January transfer market to gain an edge over their Championship promotion rivals, especially now that they’re in such blistering form under Russell Martin.
The Saints boss, after an inconsistent start, has made his side one of the toughest to beat in the division and could now complete an impressive comeback in the race to reach the Premier League.
What could help their promotion pursuit is the January transfer window, which will reportedly see several Championship rivals compete for a Premier League youngster.
Southampton transfer news
Whilst much of Southampton’s focus was on keeping hold of players in the summer transfer window, as the likes of Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong stayed put, they can now turn their attention towards further reinforcements in the January market.
Martin could particularly strengthen in midfield, given that Southampton lost both James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia to West Ham United and Chelsea respectively in the summer. That said, it’s no surprise that the Saints have turned to the Premier League for a reinforcement.
According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Southampton have registered their interest in signing Lamare Bogarde on loan. The defender has just been recalled to Aston Villa from a loan spell at Bristol Rovers and is now reportedly attracting the interest of Southampton, Watford, Cardiff City and Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.
In such a busy race, those at St Mary’s may need to act quickly this month if they are to land the young Dutchman on loan for the rest of the season.
We’ve seen the likes of Amad Diallo drop down to the Championship on loan in recent seasons, before having an instant impact. Now, Southampton will hope to see Bogarde make a similar difference for them if they secure their move.
“Immense” Bogarde could realise potential at Southampton
Famous for developing stars such as Theo Walcott, Kevin Phillips, Adam Lallana and most recently Ward-Prowse within their academy over the years, Southampton could now help Aston Villa’s Bogarde on his way to reaching a similar height.
The 20-year-old made 19 appearances for Bristol Rovers before seeing his loan spell cut short and potentially handed the opportunity to play at a higher level this season.
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Just how much of an impact Bogarde could make in the Championship remains to be seen, but according to Aston Villa academy manager Mark Harrison, the potential is certainly there. Harrison told the club’s official website when Villa signed the defender: “We are delighted to welcome Lamare to the club. He is a player with immense potential and the commitment that will go in to fulfilling that starts now.”
With just one half of the season remaining in the fight for automatic promotion, Southampton will be looking to enjoy a successful month on and off the pitch, which could include the Dutchman’s arrival and others. The Saints could be a club to keep an eye on in England’s second tier.
