Monday, June 17, 2024, at 8:39
Nathan Wood, a central defender for Swansea City, is reportedly the target of three bids from Saints, but will they be the perfect pick for the upcoming Premier League season?
Nathan Wood has long been admired by Russell Martin, who also signed him to Swansea City in June 2022 for an estimated transfer cost of £500k.
When he was the manager at MK Dons, he had attempted to sign Wood, who had begun at Middlesbrough but was turned down.
The72.co.uk reports that the Saints are set to make a third effort to sign the 22-year-old central defender, thus it appears like Martin is aiming to sign the youngster once more.
The dates of the first two attempts are unknown, but it’s thought that at least one of them took place during the previous season.
But is Wood a good fit for the Saints? Yes, he is fast, pacy, and skilled with the ball. However, at the age of 22, and with a current valuation of approximately £5 million, it is unclear if he is a true class player or merely a cheap option who has not yet established himself at the greatest level.
Currently, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jan Bednarek, and Jack Stephens make up Saints’ core three central defenders. The club also has high expectations for Nico Lawrence, a 20-year-old whose loan spell at Colchester United ended abruptly when he sustained an ankle injury after just 4 1/2 League Two games. I’d be surprised if he was ready for this season.
Instead of a young player without experience, Southampton needs leadership and experience in the center of defense.
With one year remaining on his Swansea contract, he could be a cheap option, but the results of Russell Martin’s former Swansea players are still inconclusive. Flynn Downes was unquestionably successful and a Premier League player, but Ryan Manning had a mixed season. While I am not as harsh on him as some of the left backs are, I would be surprised if he could make the transition to the Premier League.
Nathan Wood might end up playing for the Saints, and if that does happen, I believe we should embrace it as a squad signing rather than treating them as first-choice players.
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