Southampton have overtaken Liverpool in the pursuit of Bristol City defender Lloyd Kelly, according to Football Insider.
The Saints are aiming to win the race to sign the England Under-21 international by offering Kelly a quicker route to playing first-team Premier League football.
Ralph Hasenhuttl is preparing a bid for the 20-year-old who has made 32 Championship appearances this term and hopes to beat Liverpool to his signature.
The left-back was a key member of a Bristol City side that narrowly missed out on the play-offs and manager Lee Johnson has said he “looks an absolute beast.”
He was described as an “outstanding” talent with great foot-speed in the Bristol Post.
Good move for Southampton?
Southampton already have Ryan Bertrand and Matt Targett in their ranks and competition for the left-back position is already stiff. Kelly is undoubtedly a talented defender with a bright future ahead of him, but with solid defensive cover already, the chances of Kelly getting minutes under his belt are slim. Bristol City will be desperate to keep hold of one of their prized assets, so Kelly will not be available at a cut-price, Southampton will have to make a big offer to bring him to St Mary’s.
This Is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
There is strong competition facing the Saints and with them already having two established left-backs, it’s difficult to see them really splashing the cash on another full-back. Lloyd Kelly would be a terrific signing for anyone that can guarantee him regular game-time rather than him playing second or third fiddle to two other senior players. Bristol are not in a position where they need to sell their best players, which will make it an even more difficult task to secure a deal.
This Is Futbol rating 4/10