Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed the club’s development of young players will curtail any need to spend money when the transfer window re-opens in January, The Daily Echo understands.
The Saints did really well in the latest transfer window, bringing in the likes of Dani Osvaldo, Dejan Lovren and Victor Wanyama from Roma, Lyon and Celtic respectively.
However, the club’s spending power is probably limited in January after spending over £30 million on the aforementioned trio. Not to worry.
Pochettino has already put his faith in academy graduates Calum Chambers, James Ward-Prowse and Luke Shaw this season, and they have certainly not let him down.
Harry Reed and Sam Gallagher could soon follow in the footsteps of their predecessors after both players were in the Saints’ matchday squad against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
“We have a lot of young players coming from the academy that are pushing really hard,” said Pochettino.
“They are making a case for being in the senior team. Players like Sam Gallagher and Harry Reed, very exciting players.
“So, in that sense, we are not worried about the depth of our squad because we have a lot of young players that guarantee us a very good future in the immediate future.
“We are covered in that sense, so we are not worried.”
In other news, Southampton No. 10 Gastón Ramírez, who joined the Saints from Bologna for a then club record fee of £12 million in the summer of 2012, continues to be linked with a return to Italy.
Serie A sides Internazionale and Fiorentina are reportedly keeping tabs on the £16 million-rated Ramírez.
The Uruguay international, 22, has yet to start an English Premier League match for Southampton this season. Thus, expect Ramírez to be on the bench when the Saints travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea at the weekend.
Chelsea (8/15); Southampton (5/1); Draw (16/5)
Coyle expects Will Keane loan deal
Wigan Athletic boss Owen Coyle expects the loan deal for highly-rated Manchester United striker Will Keane to be finalised in the next 24 hours, according to Sky Sports.
The Latics (6-4-5) are currently four points behind Leeds United, with a game in hand, for the final promotion play-offs place.
The addition of Keane could provide Wigan with a much-needed goal-scoring boost, as Coyle’s side have scored fewer goals than any club in the top-15 in the Championship table this term.
“I’d be very surprised if that’s not concluded in the next day,” said Coyle.
“I spoke again with David [Moyes] yesterday just before they were flying off to Germany. We’re both happy in terms of how it proceeds from a football perspective.
“The paperwork is there to be signed, whether that’s today or tomorrow morning. I don’t want to get ahead of myself but we’re confident that will certainly happen.”
If a loan deal is agreed, Keane will join United team-mate Nick Powell, who has impressed while on loan at Wigan, at the DW Stadium.
Powell — 15/8 to score at anytime against Belgian side S.V. Zulte Waregem in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday — has tallied five goals and one assist in 15 appearances across all competitions for the Latics this season.
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