Monaco's Argentinian forward Guido Carillo (R) vies with GFC Ajaccio's French midfielder Amos Youga during the French L1 football match betwenn GFC Ajaccio and Monaco on September 13, 2015 at the Ange Casanova stadium in Ajaccio, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica. (Getty Images)
According to The Telegraph, Guido Carillo is one of the four players Southampton will likely sell in the summer transfer window. The other three players the Saints could show the door are Mohamed Elyounoussi, Wesley Hoedt and Mario Lemina.
Guido Carillo, 28, is currently out on loan at Spanish side CD Leganes. After arriving from AS Monaco in January 2018 in a £19m deal, (h/t BBC), the Argentinian struggled to live up to his price-tag at St. Mary’s Stadium. He only played seven Premier League games, failing to score a goal.
In July 2018, Southampton farmed Carillo out on a season-long loan to CD Leganes, reuniting with former Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino. In September 2019, he was loaned back again to the same club until the end of the 2019-20 season.
Meanwhile, Southampton have pulled clear of the relegation zone after an excellent run of form under Ralph Hasenhuttl. Following the infamous 9-0 thrashing at home at the hands of Leicester City, things were looking bleak for Hasenhuttl and co. However, credit to the Southampton board for sticking with the Austrian tactician and allowing him to get the club back on track.
Hasenhuttl has repaid the south coast club’s faith in him by restoring the lost pride and helping them climb to 12th place in the table. Come summer, the Saints must make big changes to their squad if they are to compete for a place in the top six next season. Before Hasenhuttl signs players, he must offload players that have no future at the club. And that process must start from Guido Carillo.
Carillo has not set the world alight at Leganes over the last two seasons. He did score six goals in 32 La Liga appearances last season but he is yet to score in 18 league appearances this term. Given that he’s likely to have no future at Southampton once his loan expires with Leganes in June, it doesn’t make any sense for the Saints to pay him the wages for doing next to nothing.
Putting him up for sale in the summer could help them recoup a portion of the money that they spent to bring him to the club in January 2018.
The Argentinean forward’s prospects of playing next season at Southampton look bleak and an exit would be the ideal settlement for all parties involved. Hence, the Saints must not think twice before offloading Carillo before the start of 2020/21 campaign.
