Southampton 'interested' in signing 'crazy' £21.1m striker at St Mary's | OneFootball

Southampton target Sasa Kalajdzic is ‘on a list of options’ for manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as he looks to bolster his forward line, according to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay.

The 24-year-old is reportedly on the radar of several clubs from across the continent after enjoying a hugely successful season with Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Kalajdzic is set to be one of the most sought-after talents on the market when the summer transfer window opens up once again next month.

The transfer guru claims German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich are eager to secure his services following the departure of Erling Haaland and the uncertainty surrounding Robert Lewandowski’s future.

Meanwhile, Benfica are also said to be in the running after identifying Kalajdzic as their ideal replacement for Darwin Nunez, who is expected to depart the club imminently.

It’s believed that Stuttgart are set to demand €25 million (£21.1m) for their prized asset, with Premier League duo Brighton and Southampton also tipped to make ambitious moves for the Austria international.

Fending off the extensive competition for Kalajdzic may prove to be a difficult task for Hasenhuttl, but he’ll surely be hoping to convince his compatriot that making the switch to the south coast is the right move to make for his career.

What has Barclay said about Kalajdzic?

Southampton are expected to be in the market for a new striker this summer after loanee Armando Broja returned to parent club Chelsea following a relatively fruitful 12-month stint at St. Mary’s.

And Barclay has revealed that Kalajdzic is ‘one player of interest’ to the Saints as they begin their search for Broja’s successor.

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In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “I am told that he is one player of interest. He is on a list of options; doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily definitely go for him.

“But as always with Southampton, even with their fresh investment, they’ve got to sort of box clever in the transfer market.

“He’s in the final 12 months of his contract, which obviously would be something that could possibly make a deal easier, but I can’t claim to know much about this particular forward apart from the fact that he’s on the list.”

Would Kalajdzic be a good signing?

With Kalajdzic standing at 6 foot 7 inches tall, it’s no surprise that pundit and journalist Marcel Reif has claimed the towering forward can do “crazy things in the air”.

The prolific marksman enjoyed a stellar 2020/21, registering 17 goals and six assists in 36 league and cup appearances, but a serious shoulder injury hindered him in the current campaign.

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Kalajdzic’s fitness woes limited him to just 15 outings in all competitions in 2021/22, yet he still managed to find the back of the net on six occasions, setting up two further strikes.

His arrival at Southampton would surely be seen as a significant coup for Hasenhuttl, therefore, especially given the calibre of clubs also interested in his services.