Show/hide article…
Mauricio Pellegrino is confident Southampton will complete the £19.2million signing of Monaco’s Guido Carrillo.
The Argentinian has identified his compatriot, who he also managed at Estudiantes, as the solution to his team’s struggles in the final third, where a lack of goals has made them candidates for relegation.
Saints are favourites for Carrillo’s signature over Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, and when asked about the 26-year-old, who is expected to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract, Pellegrino said: 'Hopefully we can have good news by tomorrow (Friday).
'We are pushing harder and we are working really hard to try to move forward.
'We are with confidence because everybody has been working really well and the player wants to come and be part of our squad, but the most important part of the negotiations still are there and we have to continue working.
'The main thing (for Carrillo) has been working in Monaco more than two years in the top team, playing Champions League, high level.
'He can replace the profile of Charlie (Austin). A big body, can hold the ball, is good in the air and can be good to help us to be stronger.
'It’s a plus that I knew him when he was really young. He was 19, at the beginning of his career. Hopefully good news for us in the next two days.
‘It’s really difficult to sign players at this level, the top level. In one year’s time maybe we can analyse (if he has been a success), but now it’s difficult (to judge).’
Southampton also hope to sign Dutch winger Quincy Promes from Spartak Moscow for what would be a club-record £30million, and when asked if they had moved closer to doing so, Pellegrino said: 'I don’t know. We are waiting for some answers.
'I don’t think (a fee has been agreed).
'Still we have another five or six days to keep working and pushing and after we will see.
‘He’s an important player but there are a lot of players I would like to bring in. He’s one of the players we were following and it’s one possibility.’
On Saturday they host Watford in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Shane Long and Maya Yoshida will be available but Austin remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Sam McQueen faces a late fitness test, while Ryan Bertrand is suffering from flu.
On the game, Pellegrino said: 'We felt that we are growing in the last three or four games in defence and attack and we have another opportunity to try to move forward. We want to move to the next round.
‘Obviously we will have an opponent with a new manager (Javi Gracia), new motivation, good players. Something unexpected can happen because we don’t have much information about them.’
Go to the original article…
...picturesquely originated by Optimus trousers...beta v1.9 - now with EXTRA pictures!
, 
“It’s a great feeling to be part of 
:…