Southampton fans would have been excited with the club-record signing of Sofiane Boufal from Lille last summer, but things haven’t quite worked out how they would have hoped so far.
The £16m forward moved to St Mary’s Stadium in August having scored twelve goals in 35 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit last term, but he has failed to reproduce that kind of form for the Saints this season.
Some supporters of the south coast outfit have started to grow frustrated with the 23-year-old, who they expect to make a positive impact on matches – presumably because of his price tag – which is something that didn’t happen when he entered the pitch against Manchester United in the EFL Cup Final in February.
It isn’t all the Morocco international’s fault, though, as some things have gone against him during the current campaign, but fans shouldn’t give up on him just yet.
Here are FOUR reasons Southampton supporters must be more patient with Boufal…
Adapting to the Premier League
While his team-mate Manolo Gabbiadini may have shown him up on this point with his electric start, it can take time for some players to adapt to life in the Premier League.
It is always difficult to get used to one league having played in another, and the Moroccan has visibly struggled in some top-flight matches this term.
He is probably getting less time on the ball and more physical marking than he perhaps had when playing for Lille in Ligue 1, and that will take time to get used to.
Glimpses of brilliance
While Boufal’s return of two goals in 22 appearances isn’t too impressive, supporters have to remember that he was entering the field as a substitute in a lot of those matches.
But there have been other occasions that show why he became the club-record signing last summer, such as the stunning goal against Sunderland in the EFL Cup and a brilliant, mazy run against Swansea City.
Granted he isn’t consistent and hasn't affected enough matches, but that will come in time.
Struggle with injury
When Boufal signed for the Saints last August, he was recovering from a knee injury that he suffered the previous season.
It kept him out of action for six matches after he moved to St Mary’s and then he missed a further seven games in January with a recurrence of that knee problem, which also denied him the chance to represent his country at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Those injuries have meant that he is yet to get a consistent run in the side, and it has been difficult to regularly show his quality on the pitch as a result.
Lack of a pre-season
After joining at the end of August with a knee injury, Boufal came to the club without a full pre-season under his belt which would have built his fitness for the long season ahead.
It has shown at times and the 23-year-old will certainly benefit from having a full pre-season to work with his team-mates this summer, which will also give him the opportunity to form partnerships and get on the same wavelength as players such as Dusan Tadic and Manolo Gabbiadini.