Pochettino set to raid former club for key duo
TOTTENHAM Hotspur look set to complete a double swoop for Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez as the Southampton exodus shows no sign of ceasing.
Teenage defender Calum Chambers became the fifth high-profile player to depart St Mary’s this summer yesterday when he joined Arsenal for a fee believed to be in the region of £16m.
Croatian centre-half Dejan Lovren sealed a £20m move to Liverpool, following England internationals Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana to Anfield, while £30m full-back Luke Shaw was snapped up by Manchester United.
Arsenal have also been linked to midfielder Schneiderlin, said to be valued at £27m by Southampton, while Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Rodriguez, who scored 15 goals last term.
Schneiderlin was due to report for pre-season training under new Southampton manager Ronald Koeman yesterday following his World Cup exploits with France, while Rodriguez is expected to be sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament injury until October.
Both players, however, appear ready to follow their former manager Mauricio Pochettino in swapping the south coast for White Hart Lane during the close season.
Arsenal confirmed the capture of Chambers, with boss Arsene Wenger saying he sees the 19-year-old, who made 25 appearances for the Saints, as a long-term investment which could pay an immediate dividend.
“The way he adapted to the Premier League last season at a young age shows that he has tremendous quality,” said Wenger. “He has a lot of the attributes that we look for in a young player.”
Chambers’ arrival is likely to trigger the departure of Carl Jenkinson. West Ham are favourites to sign the former Charlton defender on a season-long loan, although Hull are also thought to be interested in a permanent deal for the 22-year-old.