Southampton are doing all they can to finalise a deal for West Ham United’s Maxwel Cornet ahead of Friday’s 11pm transfer deadline.
Russell Martin has already welcomed Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton on Deadline Day, with Arsenal receiving a fee that could reach £25 million for the goalkeeper’s services.
He could be joined shortly by a player that spent last season on loan at St Mary’s in Ryan Fraser as a deal that seemed dead has been revived with hours of the transfer window remaining.
However, that is not expected to spell the end of Southampton‘s business on a chaotic day as the club are pushing to get a deal for Maxwel Cornet over the line.
With three years left on his West Ham contract, a deal for Cornet is expected to be a loan and there are two key reasons this move makes sense.
Maxwel Cornet can provide creative spark in Russell Martin’s Southampton team
Cornet is a very talented player, of that there is no doubt.
Having played over 250 games for Lyon – including 23 in the Champions League – Cornet signed for Burnley in summer 2021.
The Ivorian was a revelation at Turf Moor, where he scored nine goals and provided one assists in 26 Premier League appearances for a struggling side that were ultimately relegated.
Speaking about Cornet in December of his single season at Burnley, pundit Matt Holland said on TNT Sport: “Listening to some of the Burnley players, they say he is a great character and good to have around the place.
“And if he keeps scoring goals like that they will love him.
“They are a unique team in the way they set up Burnley, 4-4-2. heavily reliant on crosses into the box and Chris Wood is a big part of that.
“They all put a shift in and what you always say is you need a bit of stardust and some special players.
“Cornet has brought that, he is up alongside Chris Wood and just adds a bit of magic in that final third.
“He’s having his own goal of the season competition.”
Southampton have struggled to create in the Premier League so far this season, drawing blanks in two 1-0 defeats.
- READ MORE: Micah Richards says what Southampton must do as ‘alarming’ issue raised in Nottingham Forest defeat
Cornet is a player proven to be able to provide real moments of quality in the final third and he can help be the difference-maker for Martin’s side in their bid to survive in the top flight.
Cornet’s versatility another key reason for Southampton pursuit
The other factor that makes a deal for Cornet so attractive is how versatile the 27-year-old is.
Having played as a second striker in a 4-4-2 at Burnley, Cornet can also play on either wing and even as a left wingback as he did regularly at Lyon.
Lightning fast and full of ability, Cornet is capable of hurting teams from a variety of roles and this fits Martin’s desire to have tactically flexible players at the Saints.
Southampton are light on wingers, so this is likely to be viewed as Cornet’s primary position but the fact the player will be able to adapt to any tweaks to formation or position is a real plus.
Martin pursuing Cornet therefore makes a lot of sense, so Southampton fans will now just hope that the transfer is confirmed prior to the 11pm transfer deadline.