Show/hide article…
JAY Rodriguez looks finally set to depart Saints this summer with West Bromwich Albion keen to resurrect a £12m move for the striker.
The 27-year-old striker has been close to leaving St Mary’s in the last two transfer windows and that has been followed by further talk of his departure recently.
Rodriguez is keen to find regular football, having struggled to nail down a place at Saints.
His old club Burnley and Newcastle have considered a move.
However, it is long-term admirer Tony Pulis, the Albion manager, who is said to have registered a firm interest, with the Baggies eager to bolster their attacking options.
A deal is unlikely to be struck until the end of the month, though, with Rodriguez away on holiday.
It would come as little surprise if the England international were to exit St Mary’s this summer, after a frustrating season in which he played 34 times but started just nine Premier League games and scored six goals in the all competitions.
He was on the verge of a loan move last summer, with both Hull City and West Brom.
However, Rodriguez, who has had to battle injuries and was sidelined for more than a year from April 2014, stayed at Saints to fight for his place after netting in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at St Mary’s last August.
He showed glimpses of his ability, especially in the 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth in December, when he netted a brace.
But, after top-scorer Charlie Austin’s injury, neither Shane Long or Rodriguez could provide a regular source of goals and Saints, as a result, brought in Manolo Gabbiadini to add more firepower.
That restricted Rodriguez’s game-time even more as he started just two of Saints’ remaining 15 games in all competitions.
In January, West Brom again, along with Hull, Sunderland and Watford looked at Rodriguez, but a deal could not be struck with Saints unwilling to do business, because, until Gabbiadini’s arrival on deadline day, they were a man down in attack in Austin’s absence.
Albion have now returned for the attacker after relying on Salomon Rondon and Hal Robson-Kanu as their only two strikers for the majority of last season.
Saido Berahino was sold to Stoke in January but missed the first half of the season having served a drugs ban and being ruled unfit by the club.
Go to the original article…
...slimily moulded by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
