Southampton are on the verge of finalizing a £7 million transfer for forward Ben Brereton Diaz from Villarreal.
The 25-year-old Chilean is set to join St Mary’s, concluding his brief stint in Spain. Brereton Diaz, who signed with Villarreal last summer from Blackburn Rovers after a five-year tenure at Ewood Park, struggled to make a notable impact in La Liga. He did not score in 20 appearances for the Yellow Submarine, including six starts.
During the January transfer window, Brereton Diaz was loaned to Sheffield United, where he netted six goals in 14 Premier League matches. However, he could not prevent the Blades’ relegation from the top flight.
Southampton, who returned to the Premier League last season after securing promotion via the Championship play-offs, are looking to bolster their forward line following the free transfer of Che Adams to Torino.
Brereton Diaz participated in Chile’s three matches at the Copa America last month, where La Roja finished third in Group A, behind Argentina and Canada.
Additionally, Southampton have reached agreements to acquire Sao Paulo forward Juan and left-back Wellington. Both players are set to join St Mary’s when their contracts with the Brazilian Serie A club expire in January 2025.
