According to reports in South Wales, Swansea City are looking to broker a transfer deal with Saints or Newcastle United that would see a player going in each direction, but do Saints really need the player that the Welsh side are offering in part exchange.

Saints and Newcastle United are said to be interested in midfielder Matt Grimes from Swansea City, they face competition from other clubs, but with transfer funds limited for the Swans, selling to either us or the Toon has the attraction that they would like a player from either club.

From Newcastle it is Freddie Woodman and at St Mary's Michael Obafemi is the target, the Irish International almost went to the Liberty Stadium back in January, but injury scuppered the move and he stayed on the South Coast.

The Welsh sources suggest that Saints are keen to land Grimes and might use Obafemi as bait, but there are two questions unanswered, firstly the worth of both Grimes and Obafemi and secondly why Saints are interested in yet another central midfielder and one who has little experience in the Premier League.

The Swansea sources seem to indicate that they consider Grimes to be worth more than Obafemi and that they will look for a player plus cash deal if the midfielder is to leave the Liberty Stadium.

But I feel this may be a contentious issue, a look at transfermarkt suggests that Grimes Value is around £6.5 million for a player who will turn 26 in two weeks time and is entering the last year of his contract, Obafemi's value is £2.70 million on the same site.

But Saints will value Obafemi at far higher than £2.7 million, I would suggest it would also be higher than 6.5 million for a striker who clearly has a lot of potential, but although he has shown it at times has lost his way a little in the last year.

So I think that if anything Obafemi is valued higher than Grimes, he is an international for the Republic Of Ireland and has played 32 times in the Premier League, scoring 4 times and 3 assists, that doesn't look a great stat, but he has often been used as an impact player, if you consider that he has played 857 minutes of Premier League football, then 4 goals in that number of minutes is a little more impressive.

Obafemi too is in the last year of his contract and his career is at a crossroads, he has struggled with fitness over the past couple of years and there have been questions about his application.

Saints have to make a decision whether to persevere or cash in now, but I feel they will want a little more than £2.70 million if they do, at that price they may feel they may as well keep him and see how he goes.

But assuming that Swansea are keen, why would Saints want to sign Matt Grimes. he is primarily a central midfield player and we are currently well stocked in that area, James Ward Prowse, Oriol Romeu, Ibrahima Diallo and Stuart Armstrong can all play there, add the promising Will Smallbone and you have to ask why we would want another central midfielder.

The only answer could possibly be that we are losing one of that five and certainly transfer rumours have emerged about offers for both JWP & Romeu.

So this suggests that the agents are working tirelessly to turn the cogs in the transfer machinery, they are trying to link Saints with replacements in that area and the media is taking them up on that offer and fuelling the fire.

But if Saints were to sell JWP, it would be for a big price and Saints could well look higher than Matt Grimes, that is unless they genuinely see him as one for the future, but turning 26 soon and with all but 131 minutes of his career spent outside the top flight, he isn't a youngster.

So I'm not sure about this one, on one hand it doesn't make sense, but on the other it does but the situation in which it would is unthinkable, because it suggests a departure from St Mary's in the central midfield department.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 10:48 - Jun 29 Sounds like a win-win situation Go for it Ralph.
1

Colburn added 11:08 - Jun 29 Players don't develop at the same pace, some are hampered by bad advice and injury. I would be very disappointed to see Obafemi go as I think he has some serious potential and he should be given another season to see how he goes, especially after a season out with injury. He looked strong and sharp when he came back, don't sell him!
0

highfield49 added 11:11 - Jun 29 Yup, go for it, Obafemi has no future at the top level and Grimes is versatile enough to cover the left side of midfield where we consistently struggle to get a grip.
2

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls