He becomes Ronald Koeman’s 1st summer signing
Southampton have completed the signing of Malaga striker Juanmi on a four year contract.
The 22 year old is believed to cost Saints in the region of £5 million.
On Sunday, Southampton matched the Spain international’s buy out clause after weeks of hard negotiations.
And after successfully passing a medical, the South Coast club can now unveil their new recruit.
Juanmi scored 8 La Liga goals last season
This is what Juanmi had to say about the move, speaking to Southampton FC‘s official website:
“It’s a pleasure to be here and I am looking forward to being a part of this club.
“The training ground is magnificent and likewise the stadium. It really, really is a big club.
“Since I was very young, it’s always been a dream for me to play in the Premier League. The style of football played here is similar to the way I play, so it’s a dream come true. Now I just want to start playing and to start scoring goals.”
Southampton‘s director of football Les Reid added:
“Juanmi is a young, exciting and attacking player who fits into the club’s strategic plan perfectly.
“He has been tracked closely by our recruitment department for some time, and we were keen to act quickly when presented with the opportunity to bring this young player with international quality to Southampton.
“To have attracted a player of his potential at this early stage of the summer is testament to our determination to build upon the achievements of the 2014/15 season and to continue to implement our long-term plan for the future.
“We will fully embrace the challenge of the Europa League in the coming campaign, and want to develop further in Europe over the seasons to follow. Juanmi’s arrival is an important step in this process.”
Aston Villa and Real Sociedad made late bids for the player, but were unsuccessful.
Southampton’s transfer window has started positively, the club hoping to avoid a repeat of last summer where five of their best players and manager left.
Juanmi joins Graziano Pelle, Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez in an impressive Saints front line.
By Joseph Richardson
