Former Southampton striker Nicky Banger has urged the Saints to make a move to re-sign Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana this summer.
Lallana left Southampton for Liverpool for around £25million in the summer of 2014, and the 31-year-old has gone onto to be a key player at Anfield making over 15o appearances for the club, but the England international has seen his first team opportunities limited this term playing just 13 Premier League games.
That could mean that Lallana, who still has two-years left on his current £110,000-a-week deal [Spotrac.com], opts to move to get regular game time next season, and it is believed that the midfielder would be interested in re-signing for Southampton this summer, according to The Express.
Banger believes that Lallana would be an excellent addition for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were he to re-join the Saints this summer.
“There is talk about Lallana coming back, and I hope that happens. I’d definitely have him. I think he has got lots of life in him still and I think he would be quality,” Banger told the Daily Echo.
“He would come back hungry and he would obviously want to try and get back in the England squad and he isn’t going to do that sitting on the bench at Liverpool. He would come back here with something to prove and, with England, Gareth Southgate isn’t too fussed where players come from.”
OPINION
Banger is right to suggest that Southampton should make a move to re-sign Lallana this summer from Liverpool, with the midfielder potentially open to a move away from Anfield this summer. The 31-year-old would certainly be able add some much needed creativity to the Saints midfield, and he has the experience and quality to make a real difference for a team which has been fighting against relegation in the last few seasons. Hasenhuttl likes to play with a high press, and having worked under both Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp Lallana has plenty of experience playing that sort of way. That would make him an excellent addition for the Saints, with only doubts over his fitness the only real stumbling point about why you possibly would not elect to sign him. However, he has been relatively fit this season and if he could remain that way he could be an excellent addition to any mid-table Premier League side next season.