Reports: Southampton eye move for Barcelona star
What’s the rumour?
Southampton are eyeing a stunning move for Paco Alcacer, according to Sky Sports. The Barcelona striker has made just 33 apps, scoring 9 times.
The Saints have been struggling in front of goal this season and that's got them in the relegation zone. They are now planning for next season with Mark Hughes said to be keen on getting the Spaniard.
In case you didn’t know...
Barcelona signed him as an understudy to Luis Suarez but he has failed to put any pressure on the Uruguayan. The 24-year old had scored 24 goals for Valencia in two La Liga seasons and that earned him a £26 million move to Camp Nou.
The heart of the matter
Southampton have a lot on their plate right now but are already looking at what they can do next season. They are two points off safety and are in desperate need of points.
Mark Hughes has identified that not having a prolific striker is what got them to this place and he wants to sign a striker in the summer. Charlie Austin, surprisingly, is their top scorer this season with six goals, despite playing just 6 games!
Sky Sports also claim that Saints are not the only club keeping a track of Alcacer. Villarreal and Celta Vigo are also said to be interested in signing the 24-year-old if Barcelona decide to sell him.
Rumour probability: /10
Sky Sports are generally reliable for transfer news. Unless this is something Guillem Balagué has stated on TV, this can be taken as a legitimate news. If it is by the 'Spanish Football expert', then take it with a pinch of salt.
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Author’s Take
Paco Alcacer was never a player who could start for Barcelona. He was prolific for Valencia but that was his peak. He is not someone who can handle pressure nor is he World Class like Luis Suarez.