According to Football Insider, Southampton have set their sights on QPR attacker Bright Osayi-Samuel.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the exclusive report states that the Saints are among a number of Premier League clubs eyeing up the R’s forward, who has been enjoying something of a purple patch recently.
The 22-year-old has four goals and three assists in his last nine appearances for Mark Warburton’s side, helping the Londoners sit 14th in the Championship with 38 points to their name.
The former Blackpool man also records 2.9 dribbles per game in the second tier this term, which is more than Moussa Djenepo averages per 90 minutes this season – the Malian records 2.5 dribbles per game.
Osayi-Samuel’s current deal at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium is set to expire in the summer, and QPR are believed to be trying to tie him down to fresh terms although they are braced for interest before the transfer deadline this month.
In total, the wide man has scored nine goals and registered six assists in 74 appearances for QPR.
Bad news for Sofiane Boufal
If Southampton did bring the exciting QPR No.20 to St Mary’s this month, you have to ask what it would mean for Sofiane Boufal.
The Morocco international is already struggling for game time as it is, having made just five Premier League starts this season as well as ten appearances from the bench.
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The former Lille man has only managed to get 573 minutes of action from those 15 appearances, meaning that each of his league outings only lasts for an average of 38.2 minutes – he is something of a bit-part player under Ralph Hasenhuttl right now.
So, if Osayi-Samuel was brought to St Mary’s this month, adding further competition to the attacking midfield positions along with Stuart Armstrong, Nathan Redmond and Djenepo, Boufal could receive even less game time.
In other news, David Ornstein has delivered an interesting update on Southampton’s hunt for a transfer specialist…