A major update has emerged on £65k-p/w Southampton transfer target Brandon Williams, it could lead to Martin Semmens needing to act swiftly.
What's the talk?
According to The Athletic, Norwich are pursuing a deal for Manchester United fullback Williams ahead of next season. The report claims that there have been encouraging signs that Norwich can conclude a loan swoop for the English defender.
Last month, MEN reported that Williams would like to leave Old Trafford on loan next season to gain regular first-team minutes and they named Southampton as one of the teams who are interested in signing him. Ralph Hasenhuttl is said to want competition in the fullback areas and has identified Williams as a potential signing to bolster his first-team squad.
Back in 2020, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised the “outstanding” defender for his performance against Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final clash. He told United's official website:
“You saw Brandon and the character he showed. He played a square pass into Mount [which led to their second goal] and he probably felt a bit responsible, but for the rest of the half he was absolutely outstanding.
“The kid has been out for a while and not played, and had the eye injury, but his character and personality out there was great, he kept going and kept going.”
Semmens must act now
Southampton CEO Martin Semmens must act now to secure a deal for Williams. If Semmens does not react quickly to this update then it could lead to the Saints missing out on his signature. Norwich are seemingly edging ahead of the Saints in the race to sign the fullback and it could be a big blow to Hasenhuttl's plans if they watch Williams put pen to paper on a deal at Carrow Road.
The Saints are desperately lacking options in the fullback positions as it stands. Kyle Walker-Peters is currently the only senior, natural fullback who is set to be at the club beyond the end of the month, with Ryan Bertrand expected to leave upon the expiry of his contract. Le10 Sport has reported that Southampton are close to a deal to sign Brest left-back Romain Perraud, but that would still leave Hasenhuttl threadbare in the fullback positions and that is why a deal for Williams could be key.
Not only is Williams a natural full-back but he can also play on either side of the pitch. The £65k-per-week beast can play at right-back and left-back, having played both roles for Manchester United in the Premier League since the start of the 2019/20 campaign. Williams has started 13 Premier League games since 2019 for United, which shows that Solskjaer trusted him to perform when needed.
Therefore, fans would love it if the club could secure a deal for Williams. He has proven that he can play at Premier League level with Manchester United, as shown by Solskjaer's faith in him, and has the versatility to cover two important positions for the Saints. This is why Semmens must act swiftly to avoid missing out on him to Norwich in the coming weeks.
And in other news, Semmens masterstroke: Southampton could land bargain with “matured” £25k-p/w dynamo - opinion