Could Barcelona ace replace Nathaniel Clyne at Southampton?
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Southampton boss Ronald Koeman could launch a raid on one of his former clubs should right-back Nathaniel Clyne leave St Mary’s this summer.
Clyne has been attracting admiring glances from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea after a string of impressive displays for club and country and the 24-year-old recently hinted that his future may lie away from the south coast.
At a recent fund-raiser for the Football Fighting Ebola campaign, Clyne told Sky Sports News: “It’s always good to have teams looking out for you, it shows how well you’ve been doing all season.
“I am an ambitious person and I want to play Champions League football. To win the title and the FA Cup, that is what I want.”
Saints fans will be reluctant to see Clyne leave, having already bid farewell to the likes of Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Dejan Lovren, but their concern could prove short lived if Koeman manages to recruit a top target – Barcelona’s Martin Montoya.
The 23-year-old Catalonia international has been at the Nou Camp since the age of eight, progressing through the ranks of the B team before finally joining up with the first-team squad.
However, after being limited to just 10 appearances in all competitions this year the right-back, who was linked with a move to Valencia in 2011, could opt for regular first team football in the Premier League.
Koeman enjoyed a six-year stay at the Nou Camp as a player and returned as assistant manager between 1998 and 2000 and his connections to the club could see Saints lead the race should Montoya decide to call time on his La Liga journey.
The move would likely be well received on the south coast too, with Barcelona conceding just three goals in the 10 games he’s featured in this term, winning nine and losing just one.
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