Mario Lemina has informed Galatasaray that he is keen to remain at the club beyond his season-long loan deal, according to a report from Turkish news outlet Aksam.
The Gabon international, who Southampton signed from Juventus for £18.1 million in 2017, was sent out on a temporary basis in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.
Lemina has featured in 17 games for Galatasaray this season – four of these came in the Champions League group stages – but has been hindered by some injury concerns.
Read Southampton’s verdict
We think it’d be the best move for all parties if Lemina were to secure a permanent move to Galatasaray.
As per previous reports, the Turkish club have a chance to sign the player from Saints for €16 million, but it has also been claimed that they would be open to the prospect of re-signing him on another loan deal.
Either way, having expressed his desire to leave St Mary’s in the summer, it’s hard to see a way back for him under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
In our opinion, James Ward-Prowse and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have developed a strong partnership in the middle, while Oriol Romeu provides solid cover behind them.
We feel that recruiting another midfielder, perhaps in the ilk of Lemina, with dynamism and the ability to bring the ball forward, would be a wise move.
However, the prospect of the player returning to Saints seems unlikely in light of these emerging reports from Turkey, and we don’t see a reason why a permanent move shouldn’t be pursued by all parties at the end of the season.
