Southampton have reportedly completed an exciting transfer deal ahead of the summer window amid their Championship play-off hunt.
The Saints have put themselves firmly in the top-six chase with a remarkable eight-game unbeaten run in the second tier, which has included their successive triumphs over Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday.
Tonda Eckert’s men will have a game in hand over the majority of their play-off rivals come the end of the weekend, as they are facing Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday.
If Southampton get the better of Marco Silva’s men at Craven Cottage, they will advance to the quarter-finals, but their priority is to seal a top-six spot and fight for an immediate Premier League return.
Southampton set to announce Issa Tounkara deal
Eckert currently enjoys the services of talented Championship midfielders such as Shea Charles and Leo Scienza, who have both played key roles this term.
However, Southampton are set to bolster their ranks in that area of the field.
According to Africa foot, Mali Under-17 star midfielder Issa Tounkara is in England, where he has completed a medical ahead of a move to St Mary’s, which the outlet claims is set to be announced next week.
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The report adds that the deal is worth €1.2million, while the man set to join Saints is nicknamed Idrissa Gana Gueye after Everton’s Senegalese midfielder.
Tounkara is expected to play for Southampton’s reserve team before joining the first team, and training sessions with the senior squad will help him integrate into a new environment.
The 17-year-old played a key role as Mali reached the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations final for the fourth time in their history in 2025.
Issa Tounkara could be best-served if Southampton remain in the Championship
Tounkara currently plays for Malian outfit Academie des Etoiles du Mande, so moving to the Championship will see him have to bridge a major gulf in class.
Meanwhile, the Saints are eyeing an immediate Premier League return and will strive to earn their third consecutive second-tier win when they face relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday, 11 March.
Beyond their meeting with West Brom, Southampton’s remaining March fixtures see them face league leaders Coventry City, in-form Norwich City, and relegation battlers Oxford United.
Eckert’s side then face promotion rivals Ipswich Town and Wrexham on Good Friday and Easter Monday, respectively.
Triumphs over the likes of the Tractor Boys and the Red Dragons could give the Saints the confidence they need to seal a top-flight return via the play-offs.
Meanwhile, Tounkara is still in the very early stages of his career, and as many senior minutes as possible is what he needs to aid his development.
Therefore, the Mali youngster would, somewhat ironically, be best-served if Southampton actually remain in the Championship, rather than winning the play-offs.
Tounkara, who operates in a deep-lying midfield role, could initially struggle to oust the likes of Charles from Eckert’s starting 11, but his youth international credentials are impressive.
Saints supporters may be sceptical over whether Tounkara can perform in the Championship, should he join their club straight from Academie des Etoiles du Mande, but he could well be a hidden gem.
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