Southampton eyeing 19-year-old starlet with £8m release clause – Manchester United, Everton also keen
Southampton are among the sides to have watched over Porto midfielder Ussumane Djalo, as per a report from the Daily Mail.
Southampton have had some top young players over the years. They regularly look to recruit talent youngsters who they can develop and sell on for big fees, with Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento landing big profits for the Saints just last summer.
The drop to the Championship hasn’t stopped the recruitment of future stars either. And now, claims of interest in a new name have emerged.
The Daily Mail reports that Southampton are among the teams to have watched over midfielder Ussumane Djalo in recent months. Representatives from the second-tier promotion hopefuls have been spotted at Porto youth matches recently to watch the 19-year-old with Manchester United, Everton and Brighton also in attendance.
The report adds Porto have inserted an £8m release clause into his deal. However, he could move on for ‘considerably less’ this month.
One for the future
Djalo is yet to make his senior debut for Porto but as a youth team regular for his club and Portugal’s national side, he looks like one to watch. Interest from a top club like Manchester United along with top talent spotters like Brighton and Southampton is a suggestion of his potential too.
If there’s a chance to strike a deal below his £8m release clause, a winter move could prove an attractive prospect for his admirers.
Southampton are in a lower division of course, which may not aid them in their pursuit. However, their willingness to give young players opportunities in first-team football and their track record for developing promising prospects could certainly appeal to a talent like Djalo.
Time will tell if the claims of interest develop into anything more serious this month but with Southampton among the top clubs eyeing him, the Porto starlet could be one to watch in the years to come.
