Southampton need to turn around their fortunes and fast, with Russell Martin’s men alarmingly sinking to an immediate return to the Championship at their current trajectory.
Of course, there’s plenty of football still to be played for the South Coast strugglers to try and beat the Premier League drop, with the winter months notorious for fixtures coming left, right and centre.
Martin will also be keeping one eye on this coming January in terms of the transfer window swinging back open, with the Saints’ success rate in the transfer department this summer rather mixed.
Southampton’s summer transfer activity
Transfer activity at St. Mary’s around this period was somewhat busy, with Martin and Co happy to see both Flynn Downes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis return on permanent deals after lighting up the Championship on loan.
Both have taken to the step-up of the Premier League rather well, despite their team’s lowly league standing, with Harwood-Bellis even winning himself an England call-up off the back of standing out for the division’s basement club.
Including those two new buys, the Saints added nine fresh faces to their squad ahead of the challenge of the Premier League, with the likes of Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton-Diaz going down as disappointing purchases so far.
At least Archer has bagged two strikes in the Premier League to break his goalscoring duck, but his Chilean counterpart is frustratingly still yet to get off the mark for his new employers, despite costing a hefty £7m to snap up.
Aaron Ramsdale also joined as another notable addition to Martin’s ranks, with the former Arsenal shot-stopper crucial during Southampton’s only league win of the season to date, having made five saves to keep Everton at bay in the slim 1-0 win.
Despite a whole host of signings arriving on the South Coast, more new bodies could soon be welcomed in, which could include this exciting new talent joining from Brazil.
Southampton interested in “dangerous” new winger
As per a report by GIVEMESPORT, Southampton are keen on adding Vasco De Gama youngster Rayan to their roster this January, but won’t be alone in their advances for the 18-year-old attacker.
The report further elaborates that both Brighton and Hove Albion and Ipswich Town are also keeping tabs on the South American forward from the Premier League, with his current employers expected to be wanting in the region of £15m to consider parting ways with their teenage ace in 2025.
Rayan just so happens to be the same age as a certain Tyler Dibling, who has been equally as tricky and slick as the Brazilian has been whilst at St. Mary’s. That said, it’s the Vasco star who could be even more captivating to watch for Southampton supporters if a move is reached.
The Vasco number 27 has more senior experience with the club than Dibling has managed to receive in England to date, with Rayan helping himself to three goals and one assist whilst playing in the senior ranks in Brazil.
Meanwhile, his fellow 18-year-old attacker has only a solitary strike next to his name playing senior football alongside two assists.
Dibling’s numbers might not necessarily look the most impressive on paper here, but the 18-year-old has long been touted for greatness at St. Mary’s, having scored 19 goals playing for the B Team and the U18s in the past.
The raw youngster just has more to learn before becoming a top performer for the Saints week in week out, having only made his first-ever senior appearance for his boyhood club last campaign.
As we can see, Rayan appears to be producing a greater level of consistency, living up to the billing of a wonderkid.
Rayan for Vasco by position (when starting) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Position | Games | Goals | Assists |
CF | 8 | 3 | 0 |
RW | 3 | 0 | 1 |
RW | 2 | 0 | 0 |
SS | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Sourced by Transfermarkt | |||
Evidently, the teen has slotted into the main team and shone in many different positions in his native Brazil.
Therefore, the “dangerous” South American – as has been described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his blistering pace when patrolling forward – could potentially be handed more chances in the first-team set-up over Dibling if he arrives this January, even offering the likes of Archer more competition in the striker spot in the process.
Of course, Martin will still utilise the raw energy and directness of Dibling, but Rayan feels as if he could be a worthwhile addition too in a bid to try and re-energise his downbeat group.
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The original Dibling: Southampton wonderkid is now playing in non-league
This former Southampton academy player was meant to be their original Tyler Dibling.
