Sky Sports has reported that Southampton are ready to sell former Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini with manager Ralph Hassenhuttl looking to add someone more reliable to his squad. The 27-year-old has struggled since moving to St Mary’s, scoring just 12 goals in 60 appearances despite a rather great start to his time in the Premier League.
Gabbiadini scored four goals in his first three appearances for Southampton and he could have been the answer to their striking issues. But things have since petered out with the 27-year-old adding just 6 goals in 48 appearances since that streak. Now with Sampdoria interested in taking him back to the Serie A according to the Daily Mail, the club needs an affordable and reliable replacement.
The FC Nantes striker has been in great form this season, scoring 13 goals in 18 appearances this for the Ligue 1 side. This has brought ability has attracted the attention of a lot of Premier League sides, with Cardiff City interested in making a move for Sala. However, given the fact that the 28-year-old has already rejected any move away, this does put a dent in any plans the Bluebirds had.
But if Southampton can convince FC Nantes to let their star go for what would be a considerable fee, there is a chance that it could save their season. Not only would the Premier League side get a proven goal-scorer, but they also would have a chance to fight a relegation scrap without having one hand tied behind their back.
What better way to fight a relegation scrap, then with a Premier League proved striker leading their attack. However, given his attitude problems, there is a chance that Southampton might regret ever bringing in Mario Balotelli. But if there is one thing the 28-year-old can do, it is scoring goals as evidenced by his 150 strikes in just over 360 games.
This includes 34 goals in 108 games in the Premier League for both Manchester City and Liverpool, although his time at Anfield wasn’t successful. A move to OGC Nice proved to be a breath of fresh air with Balotelli finally finding his footing, scoring 43 goals in 76 appearances – his best return for any club.
But now with his contract expiring, if manager Ralph Hassenhuttl can convince OGC Nice manager Patrick Vieira to let his star go or rather swap Gabbiadini for Balotelli, they will have a bonafide forward to help them battle relegation.
He left Sporting CP after a tumultuous season but then ended up resigning with the Portugal side after the former President Bruno de Carvalho was let go. This season, however, has seen Dost hit new levels for Sporting, with the Dutchman scoring 16 goals in 16 appearances, including 10 in the Liga Nos.
Not to mention if one only looks at his stats, then Bas Dost is a world-class forward, scoring 211 goals in 386 appearances, which includes 86 just for Sporting. His time in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg wasn’t exactly the best, but he still managed to score more than 10 goals every season, barring an injury-laden 2013/14 season.
For Southampton, he could be the perfect forward but the fact remains that Hassenhuttl will have to build his team around the 29-year-old. A poacher, Dost waits for the perfect opportunity before pouncing on the goal, which is partly what makes him a brilliant finisher, but his lack of participation in the build-up could be a problem.
