Southampton are still keen on Royal Antwerp’s Mandela Keita, despite having an initial bid rejected, but they face competition from several other clubs, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Keita had a standout season for Antwerp, playing 20 games in the Belgium Pro League and providing two assists. His strong performance has attracted interest from multiple clubs, including Southampton, Napoli, and Bologna.
While Southampton seemed to be leading the pursuit for Keita, Napoli has recently made a move and may have taken the lead in the race. However, Southampton remains hopeful since Napoli and Antwerp have yet to agree on a transfer fee, leaving room for Southampton to potentially secure the deal.
Southampton Eyeing Keita
The midfielder is the subject of interest from several clubs
Rising through the ranks at OH Leuven, Mandela Keita made his first-team debut in the 2020/21 season. After a lengthy injury layoff, he was loaned to Antwerp to regain fitness and secure regular playing time.
Keita impressed at Antwerp, leading the club to activate the €10 million buy option in his loan deal. He has since become one of the most highly-regarded midfielders in the Belgian league. His performances caught the attention of various clubs, including West Ham, who were reportedly interested in him as a potential alternative to Kalvin Phillips earlier this year.
This summer, Southampton have emerged as the English club pursuing Keita, although their initial offer was rejected. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the Saints’ interest in a post on X on Monday morning.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Mandela Keita could still depart Royal Antwerp in the final days of the summer transfer window. Following Southampton’s rejected bid, interest in the 22-year-old midfielder has increased, with additional clubs, including those from Italy, now making moves for him.
Saints manager Russell Martin is actively seeking another midfielder and sees Keita as a perfect fit to strengthen his squad. Martin aims to add depth and competition for players like Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes.
However, Southampton’s pursuit of Keita faces strong competition, particularly from Italian giants Napoli, who have also shown interest and made an offer in the past 24 hours.
| Keita’s Belgian Pro League A Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 20 |
| Pass Accuracy | 89.2% |
| Progressive Passes Per 90 | 5.7 |
| Key Passes Per 90 | 0.73 |
| Tackles Per 90 | 2.91 |
| Interceptions Per 90 | 2 |
Saints Looking at Steele
The goalkeeper could be attracted by the move
As Southampton look to bolster their squad in the final days of the summer transfer window, finding a new goalkeeper has become an urgent priority. With Gavin Bazunu out for several months due to a serious injury, veteran Alex McCarthy is currently filling the role of first-choice keeper, as seen in the match against Newcastle.
Southampton have been linked with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and are also reportedly interested in Brighton’s Jason Steele. Despite Steele starting for Brighton in their recent win over Everton, new manager Fabian Hurzeler is reportedly considering Bart Verbruggen as the club’s number one goalkeeper. This could potentially pave the way for Steele to make a move to Southampton.
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