Southampton are in pole position to sign Real Madrid rising star Pedro Paulo Lubamba despite offers from Portugal’s two biggest clubs, according to Football Insider.
The reliable football site claim the Saints are close to signing the left-sided attacker, 15, after he linked up with their Under-18s at pre-season training.
Football Insider report Lubamba is regarded as one of the best young players in world football and already has offers from Portugese giants Benfica and Porto.
Good move for Southampton?
Southampton have been widely hailed for their skill in sourcing and developing young talent over the last decade, with a stream of gems, polished and shiny new, pouring out of their academy. The flow of brilliant youngsters has slowed down in recent years and the production line is not as consistently successful as it once was. This has coincided with the first team failing to match the heights of a few years ago when Ronald Koeman and company marshalled the side with such success. Southampton’s blueprint is to buy rising stars and mould them into first-team players in the future, and the idea with Lubamba is to play with the club’s Under-18s and Under-23s next season. It could work well if he proves to be the real deal.
This Is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
Given that Lubamba has not accepted offers from Porto and Benfica, and has joined Southampton for pre-season training, the English club are well placed to get a deal done. Nevertheless, it won’t happen quite yet as the teenager is not eligible for a transfer to a new club until he turns 16 in September. Expect Southampton to push through a deal at that point for the Angolan-born ace.
This Is Futbol rating 8/10