Southampton target move for Manchester City forward ahead of Premier League return – Etihad bosses name transfer price tag | OneFootball

Manchester City are likely to be subject to transfer interest from within the Premier League in the coming weeks, as Southampton prepare for life in the top-flight.

The Premier League’s latest newcomers have joined Leicester City and Ipswich Town in securing places in England’s elite division for the new season, and are well underway with their preparations for the campaign.

As part of preparations for the new season, Southampton are eyeing improvements to their attacking line as they search for a forward with an eye for goal, and as such could turn to one of their familiar routes for exciting young talents.

The last few transfer windows have seen plenty of business concluded between Manchester City and the south coast club, with the likes of Gavin Bazunu, Juan Larios, Samuel Edozie, and Shea Charles all leaving the Etihad Stadium’s youth ranks for the Saints.

And a familiar trend could continue in the coming months, with a new report detailing interest from the Premier League’s latest side in one of Manchester City’s most highly-rated attacking forwards to have emerged in recent years.

According to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Southampton are now ‘keen’ to win the race for Manchester City’s highly-rated Academy graduate striker Liam Delap.

Following a promising season on loan with Liam Rosenior’s Hull City last campaign, the Premier League champions are willing to sell the England youth international for around £10 million this summer.

The aforementioned Tigers would reportedly like Delap back at the club following the temporary agreement last season, however it is made clear that a move to the top-flight would attract him even more.

Any permanent transfer for Liam Delap would bring an end to a succession of temporary exits for the young striker away from Manchester City in recent seasons, with his first of three deals taking the forward to Stoke City for the 2022/23 campaign.

However, after 23 appearances and three goals, Delap was recalled by Manchester City in the following January transfer window, before being relocated immediately at Preston North End for the remainder of the campaign.

With little to no success at Deepdale, the latest venture saw Delap join Hull City and work under highly-rated coach Liam Rosenior in the Tigers’ pursuit of a Premier League play-off position. A Player of the Month award would be followed by a damaging injury, and Delap would return to the Etihad Stadium with somewhat fond memories from the club.