Southampton’s hopes of securing a deal for Spezia Calcio striker David Okereke are set to be scuppered by Italian side Sassuolo. The Saints were initially linked with a summer swoop for the highly-rated Nigerian striker in April after his impressive season in Italy’s Serie B, where he scored 10 goals and provided a further 12 assists.
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It was claimed that the St Mary’s outfit would bid 10million euros for Okereke with 5m euros in future add-ons as boss Ralph Haenhuttl looks to bolster his attacking options. But Sassuolo boss Roberto De Zerbi is set to launch a counter bid for the 21-year-old and offer him the chance of staying Italy with the top-flight side.
Okereke’s agent Patrick Bastianelli has confirmed that he will be leaving Spezia Calcio in this transfer window, but he has not shed any light on his destination. He said: “By the end of June, Okereke will be sold. “It [his next destination] will be Serie A or a maximum foreign league because this will guarantee the boy an immediate convocation in his national team.”
