Southampton were reportedly keen on signing Watford midfielder Domingos Quina at the end of the summer window and he could've been a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl's side.

What's the word?

According to The Athletic, Southampton enquired about the 21-year-old's availability but he ended up joining Fulham on a season-long loan, with the Championship side having the option to buy him should he impress during his spell at Craven Cottage.

The youngster was signed by Watford in 2018, joining from West Ham United, and he has gone on to make 37 appearances for the senior side at Vicarage Road since then, contributing three goals and one assist.

Last season saw the Portugal U'21 international join Granada on loan for the second half of the season but he was limited to just eight appearances for the Spanish side, despite scoring twice in those games.

The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona were linked with Quina when he left West Ham but it was Watford who managed to sign him for £1m but he was never really able to establish himself as a regular with the Hornets.

Should Southampton have signed Quina?

It is easy to see why Southampton were interested in Quina as he has a number of attributes that suit the Saints' scouting model for new players.

Hasenhuttl's side have already added youngsters such as Romain Perraud, Adam Armstrong, Valentino Livramento, Dynel Simeu and Thierry Small to their side this summer, in a window where targeting some of the best young talents in England became a priority for the South Coast club.

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Quina would also have fitted in well at Southampton due to his versatility, as he has played in a number of positions across the midfield in his career thus far, so would have been well-suited to Hasenhuttl's 4-2-2-2 setup.

Former Watford manager Javi Gracia was full of praise for Quina after his Premier League debut in 2018, saying:

“He had an amazing performance.

“Everybody knows he is a very good young player, but he has a great presence and an amazing future as well. He is always ready to help the squad like he did today.”

As he is valued at just £2.7m by Transfermarkt, he could have been an affordable option for the Saints, so if he becomes a success with Watford, then they may well regret not pushing harder to sign him during the summer transfer window.

And, in other news... Southampton missed out on potential £9m windfall, now they look set to lose dud for free