Southampton have told Galatasaray that they need to pay the full €16m fee in order to sign Lemina permanently this summer.
According to the printed edition of Fotomac, as translated by Sport Witness, Southampton will not accept a cut-price deal for Lemina as there is a €16m option-to-buy in his contract.
The report goes on to say that Galatasaray are unable to afford the €16m for Lemina, potentially leaving the deal dead in the water.
With Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s future up in the air, it could be the perfect time to consider the prospect of Lemina being given a second chance next season. Hojbjerg is out of contract at the end of the 2020/21 campaign and has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham.
If Hojbjerg leaves the club to sign for Spurs, Ralph Hasenhuttl could have his replacement ready to come straight back into the side in the form of Lemina. The Gabon international has knuckled down and impressed for Galatasaray this season, with an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.25. While it is a different level to the Premier League, it is a sign that he has been able to remain consistent and produce quality performances week-in-week-out.
Hojbjerg has managed a respectable rating of 6.82 in the Premier League, with 2.4 tackles per game and a pass completion of 77.2%. Lemina, meanwhile, is averaging 2.2 tackles per game and an impressive pass completion rate of 92.2%. If Lemina can put his head down and work hard on and off the pitch, he could be a good replacement for Hojbjerg based off these stats, while also offering more in terms of technical ability – with Lemina enjoyable to watch with the ball at his feet.
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