According to the London Evening Standard, Southampton want to sign Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck before this summer's transfer window closes for business.
What's the story?
Welbeck has been linked with a move away from Arsenal since Unai Emery replaced Arsene Wenger as head coach.
The former Manchester United attacker played over 40 times for the Gunners during the 2017-18 campaign, but will find first-team football hard to secure this season due to the presence of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the final third of the field.
According to the London Evening Standard, Welbeck has been informed that he will not be a regular at Arsenal this season, and is therefore free to leave ahead of Thursday's deadline.
The report claims that Everton, Bournemouth and Southampton are the three clubs in the hunt, although Turkish outfit Besiktas are also believed to hold a long-standing interest.
Welbeck, who was with the England squad at the 2018 World Cup, only has one year remaining on his Arsenal deal and will surely move on in search of first-team football.
Should Southampton sign him?
Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, it is unlikely that Southampton would have to break the bank to sign Welbeck when considering that Arsenal want to sell.
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The 27-year-old scored 10 times in all competitions for the Gunners last term, and has now played close to 200 matches in the Premier League.
It would be fair to say that Welbeck has never lived up to the brilliant potential that he showed at Old Trafford, but the forward has still developed into a very good player at this level.
Southampton already have the likes of Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini in the final third of the field, but Welbeck would be the perfect addition to their attack.
Strong, quick and with a great understanding of Premier League football, the deal is a no-brainer for Southampton boss Mark Hughes, who must move quickly to avoid disappointment.