Southampton have taken to the club’s official Twitter account to confirm the departure of midfielder Mario Lemina to French club OGC Nice on a permanent deal.
Twitter: Midfielder Mario Lemina has today officially completed a transfer from #SaintsFC to @ogcnice: (@SouthamptonFC)
The Gabon international has joined Christoph Gaultier’s side on a long-term contract following two separate loan spells with Galatasaray and Fulham in as many seasons.
The 27-year-old, who the Saints signed for £15 million from Juventus in 2017, struggled to live up to expectations and only managed two goals in 52 appearances for the south coast side.
Having previously played for Lorient and Marseille in France, Lemina finds himself back in familiar territory in Ligue 1 following periods in Italy, Turkey and England.
Interestingly, Nice confirmed the deal 48 hours prior to the Saints’ official announcement in an eyebrow-raising juncture between announcements that is atypical of most transfer deals.
According to the Daily Echo, it is believed that crucial paperwork had not actually processed properly until today, hence the delay. Consequentially, Nice appear to have declared the deal to have been completed prematurely.
Southampton left only a brief statement on the club’s official website that read:
Southampton Football Club can confirm Mario Lemina has today completed a transfer to Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice.
‘The permanent move brings a close to the 27-year-old’s four-year spell at Saints, where he made 52 appearances, scoring twice.
Spending the last two seasons on loan at Galatasaray and Fulham respectively, the Gabon international now joins a Nice side who finished ninth in the top-flight last season.
The club would like to thank Mario for his service and wish him all the best for the future.’
Read Southampton Verdict
Southampton willingly accepting a significant loss on their original deal for Lemina is symptomatic of the board’s feelings.
Having reportedly been sold for just €5.5 million (excluding add-ons), the Saints were clearly keen on shifting his £64k-a-week wages [SalarySport] off the wage bill with a view to freeing up funds.
