Southampton are set to rival the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Crystal Palace in the race to sign out-of-favour Leicester City winger Demarai Gray in the January transfer window.
Gray has been frozen out of the first team picture at Leicester since the start of the season, with the 24-year-old having so far managed to make just one appearance for the Foxes so far this term in the Carabao Cup. That comes after he had just three Premier League starts last season and a further 18 appearances from the bench (Sofascore).
The winger’s current £55,000-a-week deal expires at the end of the season and it is thought that Leicester are keen to sell Gray in January to prevent them from losing him for a free transfer in the summer (90min.com). The Foxes are already looking at replacements to bring in, suggesting that the 24-year-old’s future very much lies away from the Midlands club.
The 24-year-old is being monitored by Southampton, as well as Tottenham, Everton and Crystal Palace, ahead of the January transfer window (90min.com). The Saints have been admirers of Gray in the past and tried to bring him to St Mary’s a few years ago during Claude Puel’s time in charge of the club.
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Ralph Hasenhuttl has already suggested that Southampton are not going to be very busy in the transfer market in January. However, the Saints boss admitted that they could make a move for someone young and talented who could potentially develop during the second half of the season.
Southampton have already had success in rejuvenating Theo Walcott during his loan spell from Everton, and the 24-year-old Foxes winger is in need of someone to have faith in him to get his career back on track. Gray is someone who the Saints have previously viewed as a good addition to bring in to their squad, so it would not be a surprise to see them reignite that interest.
There is the chance that Gray could well be available for a cut-price fee as he is entering the final six months of his deal at Leicester. Therefore, Southampton could potentially make a bargain addition if he came into St Mary’s and started to display his ability on a regular basis. Rodgers has admitted he is a ‘big talent’ but has been reluctant to give him game-time, something which Hasenhuttl could well offer him instead.
