Southampton have completed the signing of French midfielder Ibrahima Diallo from Ligue 1 side Brest. The 21-year-old arrives at St Mary’s on a four-year deal for a reported fee of £12.75 million, becoming their third signing of the transfer window after Kyle Walker-Peters and Mohamed Salisu.
Southampton Sign Ibrahima Diallo
NOW it’s official 🤣
Introducing our newest Saint, Ibrahima Diallo! 😇 pic.twitter.com/rV8X8zo3ad
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) October 4, 2020
A Direct Replacement
Diallo comes in as a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who was sold to Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the window. It’s likely, then, that Oriol Romeu could find himself dropped from the starting 11. However, the Spaniard put in a good performance and scored a stunner in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, which could give manager Ralph Hasenhuttl something to think about.
Diallo made 23 league appearances for Brest last season and also made 23 in the 2018/19 season when he was on loan from Monaco. He never made a senior appearance for Monaco but did play 18 times for their B team in 2017/18.
What Was Said?
Speaking to the club website about his new signing, manager Hasenhuttl said: “We are happy to bring him in here. He is an important signing for us, because in midfield we only have so many alternatives, and he showed in France that he is a fantastic midfield player. I am very happy that he will come to us and hopefully he will have a good time with us.
“He’s a very smart one, a very clever one, he reads the game very well. He’s also quick and dynamic, against the ball very aggressive and with the ball also with good decision making, so he is a player who I think fits perfectly in our team.”
Diallo will link up with his new teammates after the international break.
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