Saints have announced that they have signed Sékou Mara from Girondins de Bordeaux to a contract, but for the moment it is only an agreement in principle, read on for more details.
The name Sékou Mara came out of nowhere in the last 24 hours, but it seems Saints have moved quickly and silently to snatch him from under the noses of Leeds United & Newcastle , but the deal is not completely done yet with a work permit needed to be obtained and international clearance.
The club statement reads as follows.
Southampton Football Club can confirm it has, this evening, reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of talented 19-year-old forward Sékou Mara from Girondins de Bordeaux, subject to a medical, obtaining a work permit and international clearance.
A France Under-21 international, Mara is set to become Saints’ sixth summer signing once he completes his medical and signs the transfer paperwork in the coming days.
This sounds a little premature, I think the issue might well be the work permit, since leaving the EU the freedom of movement has ended between the UK and Europe and that includes footballers,
Saints will now have to jump through the hoops for a player who initially will not fulfil the criteria and Saints will have to them put forward a case for the permit being granted based on a points system.
The fact they have announced the signing suggests that they feel they will be able to get a work permit for the player.