Southampton are set to secure their first signing of the January transfer window, with a move for Rennes star Albert Gronbaek edging closer to completion, according to reports – as a medical is now underway for the Danish star to move to the south coast Premier League outfit.
Southampton have recorded just six points from their opening 22 top-flight games this season, losing 18 games in the process and securing victory just once with a late win over Everton back in November. It’s clear that their squad isn’t good enough to realistically compete, and some recruitments will be needed if they are to have a fighting chance of at least putting some pressure on the rest of the bottom five. They currently sit 10 points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town, with the former occupying the last survival place – and it appears that they have taken proactive steps with a move for Gronbaek.
L’Equipe journalist Loic Tanzi has stated that there is a medical in progress that would take Gronbaek to St. Mary’s on a loan deal, which could be turned permanent via a €15million (£12.6million) fee at the end of his tenure should Saints’ hierarchy decide to trigger it.
The report from French outlet L’Equipe on Sunday stated that Gronbaek’s departure from Rennes is now ‘expected’, with the midfielder set to sign for Ivan Juric’s men in the coming days as his first signing – and after there was optimism to get a deal done between all parties in recent days, an agreement in principle has been reached between Rennes and Southampton.
Gronbaek shot to prominence at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt after moving to Norway from homeland side AGF Aarhus – and after a solid tenure in the Arctic Circle which included an eighteen-goal haul from midfield in the 2023 campaign, Rennes plunged to make his signing on a five-year deal back in July.
The six-time Denmark cap has 15 Ligue 1 appearances for the Brittany-based side, scoring twice this season, but he has been allowed to leave on loan and Southampton will be hoping that he can replicate his form in Norway to give them a chance of an unlikely survival.
Southampton Close to First Ivan Juric Signing With Medical Underway
