Southampton set to face Arsenal, Man Utd transfer competition | OneFootball

Southampton face competition in the race to sign Joachim Kayi Sanda.

According to HITC, the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United are all interested in a move for the defender.

It was previously reported that the Saints could make a move to sign the Frenchman due to their ties with Valenciennes.

The French outfit are also owned by Sport Republic, the current owners of the Championship side, so could take advantage of that relationship by recruiting the centre-back.

Kayi Sanda has earned a strong reputation as a promising upcoming talent, having captained the France side that reached the U17 World Cup final earlier this season.

Southampton face Kayi Sanda competition

Kayi Sanda is attracting interest from a number of high-profile clubs across Europe, as well as England.

The likes of PSG, Monaco, Marseille, Lens and Borussia Dortmund have all been credited with an interest in the teenager.

However, the Saints are hopeful that they can capture the signing of the youngster this summer.

Valenciennes’ financial position is in need of a boost, which could be helped by the sale of Kayi Sanda.

The Ligue 2 side is also in danger of suffering relegation to the third tier, so a move away could also help the defender’s development.

This has been a breakout campaign for the Southampton transfer target, having made 12 appearances in the second division, including eight starts (all stats from Fbref).

The Saints are hopeful that the potential for regular first team game time could also help convince him to make the switch to St. Mary’s instead of pursuing a deal with one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen are also said to be monitoring Kayi Sanda’s progress, highlighting the competition the south coast club faces this summer.

Kayi Sanda’s breakout season

Kayi Sanda earned a lot of attention with his performances in Indonesia last winter during the U17 World Cup.

He captained the France side that finished as runners-up to Germany, losing the final on penalties.

Kayi Sanda was one of the standout talents at the tournament, and is now set to earn a transfer in the summer off the back of his displays.

Southampton will be hopeful that they can offer him Premier League football, with Russell Martin’s side fighting for promotion from the Championship.

However, the team currently sits fourth in the table, with nine games remaining.

Kayi Sanda has also performed well in Ligue 2 in an otherwise struggling side.

Ownership ties coming good for Southampton

The ownership ties between Valenciennes and Southampton will be crucial in securing the signing of Kayi Sanda.

With the number of high profile clubs also chasing his signature, it could endanger their prospects, but the opportunity for regular game time should sweeten the deal.

Given his talent already, if he can continue to develop at Southampton then the pathway is there for him to move onto a Champions League-calibre side in the future.

Promotion to the Premier League could also help convince the player that St. Mary’s is the right place for him, but that may be less important with this target than some of the Saints’ other potential signings due to the ownership ties.