Southampton look to be closing in on the signing of Villarreal striker Ben Brereton Diaz, as Russell Martin goes about adding strength to the Saints ranks before the new Premier League season hurtles into view next month.
This might not be the only exciting attacking addition from the South Coast club this frantic transfer window, however, with a move also in the works reportedly to try and tempt raw Liverpool youngster Ben Doak to St. Mary's.
If a deal cannot get off the ground for the blistering 18-year-old ace, however, Southampton could also have this switch in their back pocket, as the Saints aim to stay put in their new Premier League surroundings with sprinkles of quality here and there.
Southampton leading race for Crystal Palace star
According to a report by Football Insider, Crystal Palace star Jesurun Rak-Sakyi favours a move to Southampton over other suitors this summer.
That doesn't mean a deal is anywhere near being completed for the slick 21-year-old attacker to move on from Selhurst Park, however, with Oliver Glasner and Co. keen for Rak-Sakyi to move away from South London on loan, so not to lose him permanently.
Martin's men have bid £7m in the past to try and win the former Charlton Athletic loanee's services for good, and are now expected to go back in for an improved offer of £12m, to test the resolve of the Eagles.
Rak-Sakyi had previously caught the eye of Leeds United, but the 21-year-old would rather ply his trade in the top division next campaign as opposed to dropping down to the second tier.
Impressing those at Palace this pre-season, with darting runs forward bamboozling the likes of Crawley Town in the example above, Southampton could strike gold if they manage to get Rak-Sakyi through the door, whether that be on a loan basis or for good, with the rising Eagles star more capable of terrorising top-flight defences now than a wide-eyed Doak potentially.
What Rak-Sakyi can offer Southampton
Rak-Sakyi will want to test himself at the very top this forthcoming campaign, knowing that he's already well equipped to twist and turn defenders in the EFL for fun, based off his loan spell at Charlton in League One.
The agile 5 foot 10 forward would amass 15 goals and nine assists from 49 total games donning an Addicks strip, with those back at Selhurst Park overjoyed to see him take to the men's game like a duck to water, after tearing apart defences when lining up for Premier League 2 action.
Player
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Rak-Sakyi
57
32
16
Doak
29
11
8
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Sweeping the floor with Doak at youth level when it comes to their respective outputs, with a mightily impressive 48 goal contributions from 57 clashes tallied up, it was no great surprise to see Rak-Sakyi dazzle at the Valley, with the then Charlton boss Dean Holden describing the 21-year-old as "wonderful" to work with.
Brereton Diaz will no doubt be purring at the prospect of lining up next to the likes of Rak-Sakyi when he pulls on a Saints strip soon, therefore, with the Villarreal dud a feared striker for defenders to keep tabs on when playing in England in the past.
The lofty 6 foot 1 centre-forward bagged six goals from just 16 games last season when loaned into a fractious environment at Sheffield United near the foot of the Premier League, and will hope he can be equally as heroic for Southampton, but with safety secured this time around.
The adopted Chilean looks to be costing in and around the £7m region to bring him to the South Coast, and so if Martin and Co can land Rak-Sakyi instead on loan to save money here and there, it would be a smart bit of business to make.
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