Vladimir Coufal (Getty Images)
According to The Independent, Southampton are among a number of Premier League clubs to have expressed an interest in Czech Republic international Vladimir Coufal.
The 28-year-old right-back, who currently plies his trade with Slavia Prague in his homeland, has also emerged as a potential target for Brighton and West Ham. (h/t The Independent)
As per the source, Coufal has only one year left to run on his existing deal with Slavia Prague and could be available for a fee in the region of £2m-4m this summer.
Born in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Coufal initially featured for Hlucin and Opava in the lower divisions before earning a move to national heavyweights Slovan Liberec back in 2012.
The 28-year-old went on to make 158 appearances for Liberec across all competitions, registering 6 goals and 10 assists in the process. Coufal joined Slavia Prague in 2018 and has since won two successive domestic titles while also consolidating his place in the Czech national team.
The right-back featured prominently en route to Slavia’s march to the quarter-finals of the 2018-19 Europa League, with his club losing to eventual champions Chelsea.
Southampton have already made a couple of fresh additions to their squad this summer, with centre-back Mohammed Salisu and right-back Kyle Walker-Peters joining the ranks from Real Valladolid and Tottenham respectively.
The Saints’ decision to bolster their backline makes complete sense after conceding many as 60 goals en route to their 11th-place finish in the 2019-20 Premier League.
Despite having already secured the services of Walker-Peters on a permanent deal, Southampton can certainly do with another specialist right-back in their ranks following the departure of an experienced head like Cedric Soares.
Youngster Yan Valery started 10 league games last season, featuring only twice following the restart. He failed to convince that he is good enough to play week in, week out at the highest level.
Thus, Southampton need another right-back to ensure quality competition for places in that department. And an experienced campaigner like Vladimir Coufal can prove to be a shrewd addition to the club’s ranks.
The 28-year-old is still very much in his prime and boasts over 150 career appearances in the Czech top-flight. Add to that a total of 31 appearances in the group stages of the Europa League and Champions League combined, and Coufal can add a lot of experience to Southampton’s backline.
The difference in quality and intensity between the Premier League and the Czech top-flight is quite massive. However, the likes of Tomas Soucek and Martin Dubravka have established themselves as quality players at West Ham and Newcastle United respectively after impressing in the Czech Republic.
Hence, Southampton should move in for Vladimir Coufal, as he would add depth, quality and experience to the backline. The Saints can have a huge bargain on their hands if the 28-year-old is, indeed, available for such a meagre price in the market.