Rumours in Italy are suggesting that Bologna are in negotiations with Southampton to sign Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

However it seems that although that its reported that the two clubs are in contact and discussing the deal, that Bologna are aware that Saints are highly unlikely to sell in this transfer window given the precarious position of the club at present, but if they cant get Gabbiadini now, then they definately want to complete the deal in the summer.

Gabbiadini has been unlucky this season in that the formation that Mauricio Pellegrino plays does not suit his style, the manager likes to play wide men and put in crosses and that is not the talian's game and it was no surprise that he struggled earlier in the seasonbut that Charlie Austin was a lot more suited to the way we set up as a team.

Even with Austin injured the Italian has struggled for game time with Shane Long's bustling style better suited to our way of playing at present.

Gabbiadini is a class act and with a midfielder able to play balls into the channels he would get a hatful of goals, but not the way Pellegrino likes to play.

In the meantime though he might have to stay put for the rest of the season and could yet well prove to be vital in the run in.

Photo: Action Images

geezershoong1 added 13:21 - Jan 29 Will we make the £14,000,000 back..?
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dirk_doone added 13:22 - Jan 29 Another highly profitable transfer window, for sure. But, the squad has been downgraded to the point that it's struggling to compete at top flight level any more.
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AirFlorida added 13:26 - Jan 29 Oh no!! Where are our goals going to come from now?!! ;-)
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codge added 13:29 - Jan 29 Feel sorry for Gabbi never given a chance all season with MP playing the formation he likes. Never had a chance to shine under this manager and a complete waste of talent.
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SaintNick added 13:39 - Jan 29 Dirk I dont feel the squad is downgraded to a level it cant compete, our issues are all with the way it is being managed and the fact that we havent completely replaced both Fonte and VVD. If we signed a central defender of the quality of Hoedt this window we would stay up with ease
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underweststand added 14:15 - Jan 29 The whole thing is a sad story, but what are the alternatives? He can't get a regular start and not likely to improve, now that we have signed Carrillo Good deal- if we get " most " of our money back.....
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patred added 14:26 - Jan 29 Do set your team up to suit the players available..or do try to shape your players to the system...??
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SaintBrock added 14:39 - Jan 29 Don't blame him, I'd get a transfer too if any other club would have me.
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FARESAINT added 14:57 - Jan 29 Absolute disgrace the way he has been treated by MP. 2 up front with him and Charlie would of been dynamite, instead our idiot of a manager plays the useless donkey Long!!!! Should offload Long instead. But i suppose its too late for that although Gabbi and Carillo combo would offer more than Long on his lonesome?
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Jesus_02 added 15:57 - Jan 29 This is all paper talk. They know very little about saints and assume we have surplus strikers because we have just signed one. Long to Leeds seems more realistic but we would be mad to let anyone go in Jan with things so precarious. Then again shipping Target out doesn't seem t make sense so who knows
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beynali73 added 16:07 - Jan 29 Bad idea. Gabbi is potentially the best all round striker we have and isn't injury prone. Agree with others above that playing a forward upfront, Long, rather than a striker has been one of the most frustrating issues this season. Two up front makes sense as 1 is so negative. Glad of the win at the weekend but yet again we were let off by the oppositions incompetence rather than defensive ability or organisation. At this point in time and based on the majority of the season we are in realistic danger of going down unless MP2 changes he approach.

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BoondockSaint added 16:44 - Jan 29 Nick, Nick, Nick...WE NEED GOALS! You seem obsessed with us needing defensive help, but it our defense is good enough to get the job done (especially since we finally made the goalkeeper change) if we could just score 2 (or occasionally 3) goals, which it seems MP doesn't want us to do! Gabbi is a class act and obviously didn't fit MP "system"-"Play for a 0-0 draw-if we get one goal, pull off all your attackers." MP rarely played him because he was worried the might score! I wish him all the best if he moves. My worry is if Les Reed stays true to form, once this rumour was reported today, Les will have Gabbi out the door in 24 hours.

3

DPeps added 20:00 - Jan 29 So we finally get a striker that Gabbi can feed off and we decide to sell? I agree with others that Gabbi is the best overall threat we have. I've been saying sell Long for the last year - he's never been proflic and isn't going to start now.
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Fakaff added 20:11 - Jan 29 So Jesus to the moon then? If this administration can't make this undoubted gem flourish, then maybe it's time to kill 'em all?
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Fakaff added 20:22 - Jan 29 Or eat some lettuce? Gabbiadini is the most talented and natural goalscorer to ever show his interest in "our" team since mlt.
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Fakaff added 20:41 - Jan 29 And if that Chinese, south American born, known nothing (except no physics or reality) ((which proves the point)) doesn't get his "manure" together, then it would be time for all you stranded beach turtles to eat your own eggs, stump on all the others, and pray to Gæd that he won't eat your liver tonight. Mmh. Whatever.
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IanRC added 22:52 - Jan 29 Rather lose Pellegrino than Gabbiadini now we have someone for him to play off. They both better start against Brighton.
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Fakaff added 23:42 - Jan 29 Pellegrino and Gabbiadini side-by-side? That would have been interesting! 😋
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ChannonFodder added 05:49 - Jan 30 @Fakaff: Don't bogart that joint my friend, that's some good sh*t.
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Keesie66 added 09:27 - Jan 30 30.01.2018 09.25am ...... & counting down...... Worrying to see fellow relegation candidates doing everything to save their PL hides, unless we are again working under the radar the radio silence is deafening +£70 million in the bank -£19 million spent and unwilling to spend a couple of £ above the odds to get Promes in... Russian Roulette ....... I soooo hope I am wrong .......

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