Southampton Simply Must Sign This Liverpool Player In January

Southampton Simply Must Sign This Liverpool Player In January
21:28, 17 Oct 2018

The summer of 2018 was a refreshing one for Southampton who, for once, weren’t absolutely ransacked by other clubs, with winger Dusan Tadic the only major departure of the transfer window.

The previous winter saw Saints lose Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for a world record fee for a defender, while the year 2016 resulted in £76m worth of talent darting out through the exit door, including Sadio Mane who was lured over to Anfield.

Fans of the south coast club will need no reminding of the club's other stars that have made the now well-trodden path up to Merseyside, with Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren all venturing North in years gone by.

It must, therefore, have come as a pleasant surprise when a player came down in the other direction a few months ago in Danny Ings, who has undoubtedly been Southampton’s star performer during what has been another thoroughly underwhelming start to a new season.

Mark Hughes’ men sit 16th, two points above the relegation zone with only one win to their name after eight games. In fact, Hughes has only carved out three league wins from 16 matches since his appointment in March, meaning he’s now the second favourite (6/1) behind Jose Mourinho in the Premier League Sack Race.

Hughes’ men now head to in-form Bournemouth this weekend on the back of three defeats on the trot, and only six goals on the board this season, half of which have been scored by new boy Ings.

Southampton have both a robust and hard-working midfield, but the lack of a creative spark has become alarmingly evident throughout the last couple of seasons.

One midfielder who could well fill the void is no other than Adam Lallana, whose ingenuity, vision, skill, and ability to read the game around him would be most welcome at the club, while his positional flexibility means he can also be employed behind the main striker.

Some Saints supporters will be quick to point out that their former skipper is not the most popular at St Mary’s given his acrimonious departure to Liverpool back in 2014.

However, his exit was four years ago, and given Southampton’s severe lack of spark, the Hampshire club should be doing everything they can to persuade the 30-year-old to return in January, even if it’s just on loan until the end of the season.

A torrid misfortune with injuries have restricted Lallana to only 13 league appearances since the start of last season. He’s now fit again but Liverpool’s midfield is jam-packed with quality and strength-in-depth. This particular area of the Reds squad is arguably the most competitive it’s ever been in the Premier League era, with Lallana fighting the likes of Georginio WIjnaldum, James Milner, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Fabinho for a place in the middle of the park.

It’s completely understandable that Lallana would want to fight it out for a place at a club that is fighting it out for both domestic and European honours, but if he still finds himself starved of game time in the New Year then following a now rejuvenated Ings down to St Mary’s could be just the ticket he needs.

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