Southampton have been linked with a move for FC Nantes attacker Stredair Appuah.
Russell Martin‘s side are currently fully-focused on Sunday’s Championship play-off final against Leeds United but behind the scenes Southampton will be exploring potential transfers.
French publication L’Equipe have now linked the Saints with a move for Appuah and they could have more funds to play with should they secure a return to the Premier League against Leeds.
According to L’Equipe, both Southampton and French side Clermont Foot are said to be exploring the possibility of a move for the 19-year-old and could ‘make an offer’.
However, despite the fact they were relegated this season, Nantes are reportedly not currently interested in selling Appuah, so Southampton may have to make the club an offer they can’t refuse.
Stredair Appuah, the story so far
You can be forgiven for not knowing who Appuah is given he has played just nine senior games in his career.
The FC Nantes attacker is just 19-years-old and has primarily played for Nantes’ ‘B’ team, with the occasional first-team appearance.
Having made his debut for the senior side in March 2023, Appuah made four Ligue 1 appearances this season as Nantes were relegated but played 16 times for the ‘B’ side, scoring one goal according to Transfermarkt.
Appuah has dual citizenship with France and Ghana and is a winger who plays primarily from the left but can also play on the right where he is able to cut inside onto his stronger left foot.
Having been part of the PSG youth set-up, Appuah left the famous Parisian academy to move Nantes in 2021.
Stredair Appuah player profile
- Age: 19
- Date of birth: 27/06/2004
- Position: Winger
- Club: FC Nantes
- Former clubs: PSG
- Nationality: France
- Citizenship: Ghana
- Contract: Until June 2026
How Stredair Appuah fits in
Realistically, given his lack of senior experience, Appuah would initially link up with Southampton’s Premier League 2 side.
The lighting fast wide man would be given the opportunity to acclimatise to his new surroundings without the spotlight of the first-team and if he impresses he may feature in cup competitions next season depending on the opposition.
Southampton currently have Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ryan Fraser, David Brooks and Samuel Edozie as senior wingers, but with Sulemana expected to be sold in the summer and Fraser and Brooks both on loan, there could be a real pathway for Appuah.
Southampton academy star Sam Amo-Ameyaw will be thinking the same thing and the two players could really drive each other on in the youth side.
Stredair Appuah links show Southampton sticking to recruitment model
Historically, Southampton have had an academy the envy of Europe, with the likes of Alan Shearer, Matt Le Tissier, Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale all notable graduates.
However, more recently few players have come from the Saints’ youth system to make a meaningful impact in the first-team, with Luke Shaw and James Ward-Prowse’s emergence a decade ago arguably the last.
Over the past couple of seasons, Southampton have taken a different approach with their recruitment by cherry-picking players from elite academies in England by showing a pathway to first-team football.
Links with Manchester City have proven particularly fruitful, with Romeo Lavia, Samuel Edozie, Juan Larios, Gavin Bazunu and Shea Charles all making the move from the English champions to the south coast over the past few seasons.
Tino Livramento, Dynell Simeu and Derrick Abu all made the move from Chelsea to Southampton too, with the former since having moved to Newcastle United and Simeu and Abu yet to make senior appearances.
A move for Appuah shows this approach does not appear to be one that Southampton will stop any time soon, with an eye on the future as well as a hope of an impact on the present the idea behind a lot of the club’s recent business.
A move for Appuah is unlikely to hinge on promotion, but the St Mary’s club undoubtedly become a more attractive proposition as a Premier League club.