Southampton FC have struck gold with £10.4m transfer - he can smash it under Will Still | OneFootball

Southampton have made a huge statement of intent with the signing of Caspar Jander.

Looking to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, Southampton have sealed a fantastic deal to bring young German midfielder Caspar Jander to the club.

The 22-year-old is one of the most highly rated midfielders in his age group, and his move to the south coast came as somewhat of a surprise in Germany, with south-German giants VfB Stuttgart involved in a chase for Jander throughout the summer before his Championship move.

Arriving from 2. Bundesliga side FC Nürnberg for a reported £10.4 million, Southampton have pulled off a fantastic piece of business to bring Jander to the club, and this valuation will only increase throughout his time at St Mary's.

Champions League hopefuls involved in Jander transfer saga

After coming through the ranks at Ruhr-rivals Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, Jander impressed with MSV Duisburg, making 60 appearances for the club before his move to Nürnberg in January 2024.

A silky operator in the middle of the park at Max-Morlock-Stadion, Jander was called up to Germany's U21 squad ahead of the 2025 European Championship, where Germany eventually lost out to England in the final.

After a year and a half in Franconia, it was clear that the 22-year-old was more than ready for the step-up, with DFB-Pokal winners VfB Stuttgart going on to find themselves entangled in a transfer battle for Jander.

Jander himself was reportedly keen on the move, and all told, it would have made sense. Stuttgart themselves have undergone a recent resurgence after years of relegation troubles.

A second-place finish in 2024 saw the club play Champions League football for the first time since 2010, while their DFB-Pokal triumph in May and the retention of manager Sebastian Hoeneß have seen MHPArena once again become one of the more attractive destinations in Germany, with Europa League football another deciding factor.

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg reported in early July that a full verbal agreement had been reached between Stuttgart and Jander; however, after three weeks of negotiations, Stuttgart pulled out of the race due to Nürnberg's €15 million valuation.

The club instead turned their attention to Real Madrid youngster Chema Andres, who was secured for around €3 million. They also signed youngsters Finn Jeltsch and Luca Jaquez in January, with the former also coming from Nürnberg, and is possibly Germany's most highly rated young centre-back.

Jander making the move across South Germany would have made perfect sense, and the subsequent collapse of the deal allowed Southampton to pull off an impressive piece of business.

Jander signing is fantastic business for Southampton

A reliable and versatile operator in midfield, and excelled at Nürnverg in a deeper role in Miroslav Klose's 3-5-2 system, which should see him adapt seamlessly to Will Still's approach at St Mary's.

The 22-year-old has immense abilities on the ball, and his creativity was showcased perfectly under Klose last term, with Jander providing seven assists as Nürnberg finished 10th in the 2. Bundesliga.

He is also athletic and robust, which should see him more than able to cope with the much-talked-about physicality of the Championship.

One of the most highly rated young midfielders in Germany, Jander was seen as a potential understudy and replacement for Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller, who had been linked with a move away this summer.

What the move to Southampton gives him is an immediate chance to make a name for himself in a side expected to be in and around the promotion race come May.

The resale value is also there, with Jander's value set to skyrocket if he carries over his form, while Southampton have been able to secure a technically secure, athletic and robust midfielder for a bargain price. For all parties involved, it is fantastic business.