Forget Jordy Clasie – Here Are 2 Quality Replacements Southampton Should Look To Sign This Summer

Two Replacements For Jordy Clasie Who Southampton Can Target If He Leaves The Club During This Summer

Out of favour Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie could head out of the St. Mary’s in the summer, with reports emerging from Italy that the 25-year old is a target for Serie A side Lazio.

The once highly-rated Dutchman joined the Saints in the summer of 2015, from Eredivisie club Feyenoord, but has failed to establish himself in the team. This past season, under manager Claude Puel, Clasie has made just 24 appearances, only 12 of which have been starts in the Premier League. This has supposedly led to the player getting frustrated and thinking about an exit in search of more regular football.

The reports of Lazio’s interest come from Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via TalkSport), which claims that the Biancocelesti want to sign the player on a season long loan deal. If a move is agreed on in the summer, Clasie will depart the south coast club having made just 49 appearances in two seasons in which he has managed two goals. Here are two replacements that Southampton should look to sign in place of the Netherlands international.

Fernando (Spartak Moscow)

The 25-year old Brazilian was a colossal presence in the middle of the park for Spartak Moscow as they romped home to the Russian Premier League title this past season.

Fernando, also the captain of Spartak, finished the season with 3 goals and an assist from 28 league outings. But that is not what he is in the team for. The Brazilian excelled in his role as a midfield enforcer for the Russian champions. His excellent ability to read the play and intercept passes in order to stop attacks from developing is his biggest asset (70 interceptions last season). Also an excellent passer of the ball, Fernando can pick out his teammates accurately from the deeper areas (85.2% accuracy) and is a strong tackler too.

The midfielder has already notched 8 appearances for the Brazil national team as well, and is an established midfielder and a leader on the pitch and is definitely someone Southampton should consider.

Maxime Gonalons (Lyon)

The 28-year old Frenchman is approaching the best years of his career and maybe Southampton can tempt him with a new challenge in his career.

One of the best defensive midfielders in France, Gonalons finished the previous season with a goal and 3 assists from 45 games across all competitions. His range of passing and his precision is something that has been a standout feature of his game now (90% accuracy in 2016/17). A force in the air and equally strong on the ground, Gonalons is the quintessential all-round defensive midfielder. A total of 99 interceptions and a whopping 182 successful tackles (240 attempted) give an idea about his prowess in the midfield anchor role.

The seven time capped French international can also slot in easily as a centre-half, providing options to the manager with his versatility. Southampton should definitely consider looking at him if Clasie leaves the St. Mary’s.