An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to bolster their set of defensive options ahead of the start of the 2023/24 season…
What's the latest Southampton transfer news?
According to Football Insider, the Saints have made contact with Everton to enquire about a possible swoop for central defender Mason Holgate this summer.
The report claims that the Championship side are eyeing up a deal to sign the £72k-per-week enforcer on loan and that Sean Dyche has agreed to allow him to move on.
It states that Premier League side Sheffield United and fellow second tier outfit Leeds United have also contacted the Toffees to explore a move for the 26-year-old ace.
How good is Mason Holgate?
The Everton enforcer is a player with the potential to be an excellent performer for the Saints if Russell Martin can help him to rediscover his best form.
It has been reported by the Daily Mail that Holgate is being targeted by Southampton as a possible replacement for Duje Caleta-Car, who is attracting interest from Ligue 1 side Lyon, and his displays at Goodison Park in the past suggest that he has the scope to become a dream heir to the Croatian titan.
The English gem has averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.65 or lower over the last two Premier League seasons but his form throughout the 2019/20 campaign suggests that the quality is there for him to be a superb player.
Holgate averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 that year, which would have placed him third in the Saints team last term, as he made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won 63% of his individual duels at the back, whilst the talented battler did not make a single error leading to a shot or goal for the opposition.
This shows that the ex-West Bromwich Albion loanee does have the ability to deliver consistently brilliant performances at Premier League level, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be an outstanding performer in the Championship.
A drop down to the second tier could help the defender to get back to his best and a loan would mean that Southampton are not burdened with him in the long-term if he fails to recapture his previous form.
Holgate could, therefore, be a dream replacement for Caleta-Car if the former Marseille colossus joins Lyon as his statistics during the 2019/20 season are more impressive than the current St. Mary's defender's from last term.
The 26-year-old warrior averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across 13 league matches for the club and won 57% of his duels, although he did make one mistake that led to a shot for the other team.
Only four Saints players averaged a higher Sofascore rating and this suggests that the £52k-per-week "leader" – as once hailed by the Liverpool ECHO journalist Sam Carroll – was one of the team's top performers, which is why it is crucial for Martin to bring in a quality replacement for him before the deadline.
Holgate's form for Everton in the past shows that the potential is there for him to be that player, which is why the Southampton head coach could land a dream heir to Caleta-Car at centre-back with this possible swoop for the English talent.