Will Still dealt huge transfer blow as Man United enter the race for £18m Southampton target

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Southampton are looking to bounce back from their abysmal 2024/25 campaign by returning to the Premier League.

Will Still was appointed as Southampton manager earlier this summer, and the recruitment team at St Mary’s have been hard at work landing his key targets.

The Saints signed Joshua Quarshie from Hoffenheim in June, closely followed by a £7m deal for FC Koln striker Damion Downs in July.

But Still knows how important it is to have as much firepower as possible at the top end of the pitch, and for that reason, it’s no surprise Southampton are scouring the market for more strikers.

Southampton missed out on Lawrence Shankland at the start of the transfer window after he signed a new contract with Hearts, and the Championship side have now turned their attention to further options abroad.

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Man United enter race for Southampton target Idrissa Gueye

Earlier this week, it was reported that Southampton have shown an interest in Idrissa Gueye, an 18-year-old Senegalese striker from FC Metz who has been compared to former star Sadio Mane.

Alan Nixon revealed that the Saints were joined in the race by West Ham, who are set to watch Gueye in a pre-season friendly this coming week.

Unfortunately, interest from the Hammers isn’t their only concern in landing the teenage sensation, as L’Equipe states that Manchester United and Champions League giants Borussia Dortmund are also interested in the youngster who is valued at £18 million.

Man United have signed plenty of young players recently, most notably Chido Obi Martin and Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.

But now, the Red Devils could look to sign Gueye from Ligue 1 side Metz, dealing Southampton’s chances of securing the striker a huge blow.

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Will Still comments on Southampton’s promotion chances

As it stands, Southampton have kept the bulk of their squad following relegation. Only Kamaldeen Sulemana, Kyle Walker-Peters and Paul Onuachu have been their most notable departures.

Of course, there is Premier League interest in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who could yet leave, while Tottenham want £50m-rated Tyler Dibling.

That being said, the Saints still have an incredibly stacked squad even if those two players depart, and Still knows what is ‘expected’ of him after joining the club.

“I’m used to it. I’m a football coach, and other than that, I’m a very normal person, but I know the world we live in, I know what social media does,” Still said in Tuesday’s edition of La Voix du Nord.

“I know what the media makes of all this. After two and a half years as head coach in France, you’re well prepared for all this. Once again, I’m very relaxed. I know what the ambitions are, the professional demands, so I got to work here. I know what’s expected.”

“There are 24 teams in the league, so we already have 46 matches this season, and there will be cup competitions too… But we know it’s going to be intense, highly watched, and that we’ll have to win a lot. That’s what we have to instil in the players; it’s a hugely important task during preparation. It’s good; it’s a motivating challenge.”