Ben Brereton Diaz was expected to form a brilliant centre-forward partnership with Adam Armstrong and manager Russell Martin preferred the two forwards in his possession-based tactical setup to score more goals from the build up play.

Southampton fans were well-familiar of Armstrong’s previous struggles in the Premier League but the arrival of Diaz as another striker alongside the 27-year-old seemed a brilliant transfer move by the club. Armstrong thrived in a two-striker formation with former Southampton star Che Adams in the Championship, and thus, playing him in the same role again was considered a good lineup decision by manager Russell Martin.

Russell Martin hints at January replacements for £6 million flop summer signing

However, both of the strikers have massively struggled so far in the ongoing season, and are yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League. Recently, Armstrong scored his first goal of the season by scoring a penalty in the 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Stoke City, but Diaz again gave an underwhelming substitute cameo for Russell Martin’s side.

Diaz has registered only two attempts on goal in seven matches across the Premier League and the Carabao Cup and has slipped down the pecking order at the striker position. Cameron Archer is the only Southampton centre-forward to have scored in the Premier League and Paul Onuachu as well as injured striker Ross Stewart have given a few good substitute cameos for Russell Martin’s side.

Thus, Ben Brereton Diaz could be replaced with a new striker in the January transfer window, and manager Russell Martin recently hinted at some January reinforcements in the attack, saying,

“I think some people performed well in moments and then others show why they’re not quite in the team yet.”- Russell Martin

While Armstrong and Onuachu are likely to feature in the must-win Everton match, Martin highlighted that struggling players such as Ben Brereton Diaz could get less playing time in the next few matches. Southampton submitted a £15 million transfer offer to sign in-form Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto in the transfer window and could again enter into negotiations to sign the 23-year-old to replace Ben Brereton Diaz in the January transfer window.

Alberto has found the back of the net 24 times for Corinthians in the ongoing season and recently scored three goals in their narrow 4-3 defeat against Racing Club in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana semi-finals. The Brazil international’s prolific goalscoring form has attracted a lot of transfer interest from the Premier League clubs and the Saints are also one of his huge admirers.

Now, it remains to be seen whether Southampton will decide to sign Yuri Alberto in the January transfer window if their other first-team forwards struggle to score a few important goals in the upcoming matches.