Southampton have made the first move to try and secure the signing of a player Russell Martin wanted last summer in a position shrouded in uncertainty.
With Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ permanent signing officially confirmed on Monday alongside the free capture of Charlie Taylor, Southampton are starting to add to their squad ahead of a return to the Premier League.
36-year-old Adam Lallana has also joined as manager Russell Martin looks to add top flight experience to his relatively young squad.
Now, the Saints have made an initial approach for a player with 90 Premier League appearances under his belt who the club missed out on last summer.
Southampton ‘have approached’ Bournemouth for Max Aarons
Southampton face the prospect of losing one of their best players, with Kyle Walker-Peters heavily linked with a move to West Ham United.
With just a year left on his current contract, Walker-Peters could be used as a makeweight to secure a return to the south coast for West Ham’s Flynn Downes; the midfielder remaining the top priority this summer.
Southampton will not want to risk Walker-Peters entering the final year of his deal and spending next summer in the same position they have this off-season with Che Adams.
Therefore, the club are acting decisively to secure a replacement for the twice-caped England international, with Sky Sports reporting an approach has been made for Bournemouth right-back Max Aarons.
According to Sky Sports, ‘Southampton have approached Bournemouth for talks over a deal for Max Aarons’, adding that ‘the Saints want to sign Aarons as their new right-back amid uncertainty over the future of Kyle Walker-Peters’.
As well as West Ham, the report also credits both former club Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton with interest in Walker-Peters.
Can Aarons replace Walker-Peters for Southampton?
Martin was keen on a move for Aarons last summer, with many expecting Walker-Peters to leave St Mary’s following relegation to the Championship.
However, the club instead sold Tino Livramento to Newcastle United and Walker-Peters remained at Southampton; playing a starring role in a promotion-winning campaign.
Aarons instead left Norwich City for Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £12 million and made 20 Premier League appearances last season before falling out of favour towards the end of the campaign.
Martin could capitalise on the 24-year-old dropping down the pecking order and Norwich manager David Wagner was full of praise before his departure last summer.
Speaking on Aarons, Wagner said: “Max is a very, very good player, and he’s a very, very good character as well.
“Everybody knows how highly we rate him as a player and as a person as well. He’s been absolutely top class.”
An attack-minded full-back who loves to surge down the right of the pitch, Aarons could prove a very capable replacement if Walker-Peters is to move on this summer.
