Southampton’s recruitment staff have tried to explain to club chiefs that ‘signings with a track record’ in the Premier League are key, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.
The south coast club are currently marooned at the foot of the Premier League table and are expected to be active in the January window as they look to escape the relegation zone.
Southampton transfer news – January signings
Southampton have already signed Croatia winger Mislav Orsic from Dinamo Zagreb in an £8 million deal to improve their attacking options after he put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
And several more fresh faces are expected to follow the 30-year-old through the door at St. Mary’s after Nathan Jones admitted their could be ‘four’ acquisitions this month.
“It’s not the amount, it's the quality of what we do," said Jones when asked how many signings he was hoping to bring in during the winter window.
"So, there won't be 10, but if we can get three or four real quality additions that improve us, then that's what we want. Because it’ll freshen stuff up and there's a good group there.”
What has Jones said about Southampton?
Jones has informed GMS that ‘people attached to the recruitment staff’ at Southampton believe players who have already shown their capabilities are the best options for the club to target.
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
He said: “I know that there are people attached to the recruitment staff who have tried to point this out that having new signings with a track record in this league is key, and it's going to be very important.
“Sometimes you can overthink these things and look at too many stats and worry about the fit too much when all you need is someone who can actually score a goal.”
Who could Southampton sign?
The Athletic’s Southampton reporter Jacob Tanswell has revealed that the Saints have had a €10m (£8.8m) bid rejected for Racing Club midfielder Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz is believed to have a €25m (£22m) release clause written into his current contract, though, meaning Jones’ charges may have to improve their offer significantly.
Meanwhile, David Ornstein has disclosed that Southampton are also ‘exploring the possibility of signing’ Everton centre-back Michael Keane.
The 29-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at Goodison Park this season following the arrivals of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady and could look to gain some first-team football elsewhere.