Italian journalist Nicolo Schira has confirmed that Southampton are keen on signing Bologna midfielder Mattias Svanberg in the upcoming transfer window.

What's the latest transfer news involving Svanberg?

The 22-year-old has been attracting interest from Serie A and the Premier League, with AC Milan and Leicester reportedly monitoring his progress.

Southampton are also in the race to sign the young Swede who has impressed in Italy's top-flight this term.

How much is he worth and when does his contract expire?

Last month, it was revealed that Bologna valued Svanberg at €15m (£12.9m). However, that figure now appears to have risen, with Calciomercato claiming it will take €20m (£17.3m) in order for his current club to let him leave.

He still has two years left on his contract, suggesting that the Serie A outfit are not under significant pressure to sell him this summer.

What are Svanberg's stats this season?

Svanberg was at the top of his game in his latest outing, bagging a brace against Spezia in a 4-1 win for Bologna. His performance earned him a match rating of 8.76 from WhoScored - no player on either side was awarded a higher mark.

He now has five goals and two assists in the league in 2020/21. James Ward-Prowse has 12 goal contributions to his name in the Premier League in 2020/21, and is the only regular central midfielder for Southampton who has been directly involved in more goals than Svanberg.

The youngster has shown his eye for goal throughout the campaign, attempting 49 shots on goal in the top-flight - that is more than any Southampton player, including the side's top scorer Danny Ings (48).

What do others think about Svanberg?

The promising midfielder is not only admired by clubs across Europe, but by his peers as well. One player who clearly rates him is his fellow countryman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Vsport have revealed that the veteran striker recommended that Milan sign Svanberg back in January. The club did not take the opportunity then, but are believed to still be interested, indicating that they have taken Ibrahimovic's comments on board.

The perfect partner for Ward-Prowse?

Southampton have slipped down the table in 2021, and find themselves in 14th place. One player who has not let them down, though, is Ward-Prowse.

The 26-year-old has not missed a minute of Premier League action this season, and has been the one constant in a Saints side that has fallen away alarmingly in recent months.

But he can't do it all on his own. He needs some support, and Svanberg could offer that.

Svanberg has shown his ability to make runs from deep, and arrive in the final third at the right moment to get involved in attacks, which has led to him scoring and assisting goals.

Meanwhile, Ward-Prowse has an impressive passing range, having completed 86.2% of his passes this season, and works tirelessly off the ball, suggesting that he and Svanberg would make a very progressive and exciting partnership.

Oriol Romeu did a solid job in the first part of the campaign, earning himself an average game rating of 6.97 from WhoScored. He has been injured for almost two months now, though, and Southampton need someone who can be trusted to stay fit and help Ward-Prowse move the team forwards next year.

Svanberg appears to be the ideal option for this role.