Southampton 'likely' to agree St. Mary's deal with £9m star | OneFootball

Southampton winger Mohamed Elyounoussi is likely to stay at the club beyond this summer, according to The Sun’s Tom Barclay.

Elyounoussi has shone under Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s this term, but he could have a big decision to make on his future soon.

What’s the latest news involving Elyounoussi?

The 41-cap international has featured regularly for Southampton in 2021/22, making 27 appearances across all competitions.

In these matches, he has scored eight goals and provided three assists, with his standout performance coming back in August when he netted a hat-trick in the Carabao Cup against Newport County.

Elyounoussi is out of contract next year, though, and the clock could be ticking on his time on the South Coast.

The 27-year-old recently revealed that he wants to stay at Southampton as he feels he has a lot more to offer, having only rejoined the club at the start of the season after a two-year loan spell at Celtic.

Man City 2-2 Liverpool! Full reaction on The Football Terrace…

What has Barclay said about Elyounoussi?

Elyounoussi’s future may be somewhat taken out of his hands if Southampton decide not to offer the £9m-rated forward a new deal.

However, following Elyounoussi’s comments, Barclay expects him to remain at the Premier League club.

When asked about the likelihood of Elyounoussi sticking around, Barclay told GIVEMESPORT: “I think it’s probably more likely than not, at the moment. I agree with him about this almost feeling like being his first proper season, which is funny because it’s the fourth season into his contract.”

1 of 15

Can you guess where Sadio Mane began his footballing career?

FC Metz Le Havre Red Bull Salzburg Dijon FCO

Should Southampton offer Elyounoussi a new contract?

Elyounoussi has only found the net twice since the turn of the year in the Premier League, and Southampton may be a little disappointed with that figure.

Danny Ings departed the club last summer, meaning the side need players from a variety of positions to chip in with goals rather than just relying on the strikers to bail the team out time and time again.

Still, Elyounoussi has shown enough quality over the course of the season to suggest that he is worth persevering with.

The Norwegian attacker offers versatility as he can play on either flank or in a more central role, which is useful for Hasenhuttl.

He is also at an age where he should be coming into his peak, so it would make sense for Southampton to tie him down to a new contract, and hope that he can continue to go from strength to strength over the coming years.