Southampton recouping much of initial Gabbiadini fee is impressive transfer business

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Southampton have agreed to sell Manolo Gabbiadini to former club Sampdoria and the striker is set for a medical today, according to the Guardian.

They report that the Italian striker is ready to return to the club with whom he spent two years between 2013 and 2015 as Ralph Hasenhuttl looks to get his squad in shape for a relegation battle.

The Saints will reportedly recoup £10.8m for the striker for whom they paid £14.6m two years ago and the Austrian boss will hope to reinvest that into the squad this month.

Given that Gabbiadini’s stock has fallen so far in the intervening period and that he is so clearly unsuited for the high-tempo approach Hasenhuttl wants to bring to the south coast, losing less than £4m on him looks like great financial business.

Southampton’s transfer model used to be based around bringing in players cheaply before negotiating high outgoing transfer fees and while Gabbiadini’s cost isn’t astronomical, it indicates a tough stance that the Saints would do well to get back to.

But more importantly, Hasenhuttl must reinvest the funds wisely in the type of player that can bring the dynamism he needs to the club after an era that has been defined by big-money busts.