Besiktas have an ‘agreement’ with Mohamed Elyounoussi, according to Turkish news outlet Ajansspor, and the Norwegian winger’s exit should mean that Sofiane Boufal is set to stay at Southampton.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has a plethora of wide options at his disposal heading into the new season, and it seems he is willing to let one depart.
Elyounoussi, who was also linked with Stoke City on Monday, appears to be nearing a move to Besiktas, with Ajansspor claiming that the Super Lig outfit are determined to strengthen their options on the left-hand side.
Read Southampton’s verdict
With Elyounoussi seemingly heading out the door, keeping Boufal at the club is now something that should be done. He has looked sharp in pre-season, and his natural ability far exceeds that of his Saints teammate.
Boufal made two appearances in friendly outings – in wins against Feyenoord and FC Koln – and may well have put himself in Hasenhuttl’s thinking. He worked hard, showed the flair and trickery that have become synonymous with his style of play, and added a real attacking threat to the performances.
Elyounoussi, simply put, has seldom displayed these qualities at Southampton. In his first campaign in English football, he was hugely ineffective, and as such, fell out of favour under both Mark Hughes and Hasenhuttl.
A move to Turkey could do him good. Besiktas are evidently keen to recruit him and he will hope to revitalise himself this term, irrespective of where he is playing his football.
Should Elyounoussi complete this switch, though, it is clear that keeping hold of Boufal for the upcoming Premier League season would be a smart choice for Southampton.
