Southampton ace Lyanco set to join Besiktas | OneFootball

Southampton defender Lyanco Vojnovic is on the verge of penning a multi-year contract with Turkish Super Lig powerhouse Besiktas.

According to Fabrizio Romano, both parties have agreed on a deal to send the 26-year-old to Istanbul following the Saints’ relegation to the Championship last season.

Lyanco will fly back to Turkey to undergo his medical on Wednesday before signing a four-year contract at Vodafone Park. But the transfer cost remains a mystery for the moment.

If his medical goes smoothly, the robust centre-back will team up with several former Premier League stars, including Romain Saiss, Rachid Ghezzal, Cenk Tosun and Arthur Masuaku.

The former Sao Paulo prospect has just returned from Turkey, where he started pre-season with Southampton, as he prepares to become the second first-team Saints star to leave St Mary’s this summer.

Mislav Orsic abandoned the sinking ship last month to join Besiktas’ fellow Super Lig rivals Trabzonspor, cutting short his brief career on the south coast.

Lyanco is next, but many others are expected to follow after the Saints failed to cling on to their Premier League status in 2022/23.

Long-serving captain James Ward-Prowse has a host of admirers, with West Ham United reportedly lodging a £20 million bid for the free-kick specialist.

Despite Southampton’s woeful season, the 28-year-old midfielder was nothing short of outstanding.

A player of his quality doesn’t deserve second-tier football, and top-flight suitors are piling up, ready to offer him a lifeline in the Premier League.

Mohamed Salisu is another potential candidate to terminate his Southampton nightmare after falling out of favour with the club’s leadership in mid-March.

Salisu has drawn interest from Ligue 1 club Monaco as they brace themselves for life after Axel Disasi amid growing speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League.