Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury isn’t likely to secure a move to Southampton this summer, a report from the Daily Mail has revealed.
The former Watford loanee has just returned to the King Power Stadium after spending last season at Vicarage Road – and will be left feeling disappointed after failing to guide the Hornets back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
He will be looking to make amends for this by ensuring Enzo Maresca’s side capitalise on their strong position to go on and bounce back to the top flight straight away, although that’s easier said than done considering some of the competition they face for a spot in the promotion mix next term.
Hamza Choudhury’s situation at Leicester City
After being temporarily deemed surplus to requirements last summer, the Foxes are under new management now and that could give him the opportunity to become a regular starter in the Midlands.
The Foxes have some good options in the middle of the park with Harry Winks signing for the like and the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi still at the King Power Stadium.
Boubakary Soumare could also be an option, so Choudhury could still find it difficult to secure a place in the starting lineup during the 2023/24 campaign unless others in his department leave.
Do Southampton need to sign a midfielder this summer?
With Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse both being linked with moves away from Leicester, it makes sense for the Saints to have some potential replacements lined up.
It would be a tall order for Choudhury to replace someone like Lavia – but he has a decent amount of senior experience under his belt and would be looking to make a real impact if he did make this move.
You have to wonder whether Will Smallbone will be on his way out of St Mary’s at some point too. He’s 23 now and will be looking to secure regular first-team football sooner rather than later.
If Russell Martin can’t guarantee him a decent amount of game time, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Irishman decides to push for a permanent exit.
Would Hamza Choudhury be a good signing for Southampton?
You have to ask whether Choudhury would be a good fit in Martin’s style.
Although he can be an excellent defensive midfielder and that’s something that could be useful considering Martin’s Swansea City were notorious for leaking goals at times, bringing in someone like Matt Grimes instead may be worthwhile.
Grimes already knows Martin’s style and methods inside outfit and this is why the relegated side should be turning towards the Swansea man rather than trying to get a deal for Choudhury over the line.
The latter may only be 25 which could allow him to be a decent long-term asset on the south coast – but would Leicester be willing to negotiate a sensible deal for him?
He may only have one year left on his contract – but the Foxes will be wary about selling a player to a likely promotion rival and that could push his price up considerably.
With this and other factors in mind, the Saints should be focusing on alternative targets.
