Southampton Want to Sign ‘League’s Best Striker’ in Record-Breaking Transfer
Southampton are among several clubs reportedly eyeing a move for French forward Willem Geubbels.
Will Still’s appointment at St Mary’s could see the Belgian-born English coach look at freshening up his side’s attacking options. The Saints struggled in front of goal last season, with Nigerian striker Paul Onauchu finishing as the club’s top scorer with just four goals.
Onauchu has been linked with a return to the Turkish side, Trabzonspor, and is one of several frontmen who could depart this summer. Cameron Archer’s future is also up in the air, while Ben Brereton Diaz faces an uncertain future amid failing to secure a permanent move to Sheffield United.
Southampton In The Mix For Geubbels
The Frenchman could cost around £8m
French outlet FootMercato reports that Southampton are in the race to sign Geubbels, whose Swiss club FC St.Gallen is demanding around £8m (€10m), which would be a record sale. He has also garnered interest from Premier League clubs Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers and Championship outfit Sheffield United.
Union Berlin and Cologne from the Bundesliga, FC Twente from the Netherlands and other European clubs are keeping tabs. He has two years left on his contract with his Swiss club, who look likely to lose their 23-year-old forward.
Geubbels was in fine form last season and has been a hit with St.Gallen since arriving from Monaco as a free agent in January 2023. He possesses a versatile profile that can see him play up top centrally and out on the wing, which could suit Still’s Southampton.
The former France U19 international nearly arrived in England in 2018 when Arsenal attempted to sign him from Lyon. The French giants reportedly demanded over £60m at the time (according to The Sun) due to the then-16-year-old’s huge potential, as well as comparisons to Kylian Mbappe, owing to his adaptable style of play, according to Tashan Deniran-Alleyne.
Southampton FC set to appoint Still’s new assistant manager
SAINTS will appoint Paul Trollope as their new assistant manager with official announcement to follow, the Daily Echo understands.
The club have finalised a deal to hire the 53 year old, who was most recently assistant manager under Rob Edwards at Luton Town.
Former midfielder Trollope was assistant to Chris Hughton at Brighton and Nottingham Forest, as well as spending a brief spell as Cardiff City boss.
He will work with new Saints manager Will Still as they look to achieve an immediate promotion back to the Premier League next season.
He has experienced promotion from the Championship with both Brighton and Luton, before departing Kenilworth Road in January 2025.
Trollope acted as interim boss to the Hatters following the sacking of Edwards, before exiting the eventually relegated outfit himself days later.
Trollope will add experience and knowledge of the Premier League and Championship, with Still having never managed in the English divisions.
As a player, he was a Welsh international, playing 24 matches in the Premier League with Derby County, before becoming Bristol Rovers boss in 2005.
More staffing announcements are likely to follow as technical director Johannes Spors rebuilds the first team coaching staff at St Mary’s.
Adam Lallana could remain on Still’s team as a coach after his spell as interim assistant, but the 37 year old’s future is yet to have been decided.
