Ralph Hasenhuttl appears to have been handed a golden opportunity to get rid of Southampton flop Mario Lemina this summer, with West Ham and Newcastle United both reportedly interested in signing him ahead of next season.

According to The Guardian, both Premier League clubs are keen on the Gabon international this summer, which could finally see him depart St Mary's on a permanent deal.

The 27-year-old has spent this season on loan at Fulham, and whilst Scott Parker's side hold an option to buy him ahead of next season, they face a serious struggle to stay in the Premier League and may be dissuaded from signing him should they be relegated back to the Championship.

Therefore, Southampton chairman Jisheng Gao will undoubtedly be relieved that Premier League clubs are beginning to show an interest in signing him, as he surely won't want to keep Lemina on the books at St Mary's for another two seasons.

Since signing for a then club-record fee from Juventus in 2017, the midfielder has managed just 52 appearances for Southampton, in which he has contributed a paltry two goals and two assists.

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At the time of his signing, former vice-chairman Les Reed described him as an "outstanding" talent, but unfortunately he has never really demonstrated that ability on the south coast.

After spending last season on loan with Galatasaray, he was shipped out to Craven Cottage ahead of the current campaign and has gone on to make 27 appearances for Fulham, with one goal and one assist to his name.

His performances have earned him a disappointing 6.59 average match rating from WhoScored, so it is something of a surprise that both West Ham and Newcastle are showing an interest in him, which suggests that this is an ideal opportunity for Southampton to sell him before his value decreases even further.

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Therefore, Hasenhuttl and Martin Semmens should both ensure that the 27-year-old leaves the club on a permanent deal this summer, as otherwise they risk losing him for nothing when his Saints contract expires at the end of next season.

In other news... Semmens heading for Saints transfer disaster over £2.25m-rated target, he's scraping the barrel