Southampton have been linked with a move for Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper, who could be a shrewd addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.
Football Insider have reported that Southampton are battling it out with Aston Villa to land Cooper in the summer following his impressive form in the Championship for Millwall this season.
The report claims that Hasenhuttl wants to improve his defensive options in the summer and Cooper is one of the players Southampton are keeping tabs on heading into the summer.
Could Cooper be a good signing for Southampton?
Yes. His stats for Millwall this season suggest that he could be a decent signing for the Saints if they can get him in for a reasonable price. Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens are the current first-choice centre-backs, so how does Cooper stack up against Jannik Vestergaard? Cooper averages more aerial battles won and clearances made per game than the Dane, whilst he is also two years younger and has a higher WhoScored rating this season – albeit in the Championship.
It is difficult to judge Cooper’s passing, as he plays in a Millwall team who often play long balls against the run of play in the Championship. Whilst Southampton also utilise long balls, the Saints have clever movement in the final third to get on the end of the passes or initiate a counter-press and force the opposition into a mistake. If Cooper can hit accurate long passes, he could be a good fit for Southampton’s team and find the likes of Shane Long and Stuart Armstrong who like to run deep and into channels to collect the ball.
Cooper being two years younger (25) than Vestergaard (27) also allows for more room to grow and develop as a player. He still has plenty of years ahead of him and Hasenhuttl could look to coach him over several seasons so that he can fit in with the Austrian’s system and way of playing at Southampton.
