Four attackers who could boost Southampton’s promotion hopes

The Saints may need to sign a forward in January if Ross Stewart, their summer acquisition, is out for the entire season and Che Adams’ future is unknown.

 

If Adams, who still has six months on his deal, decides to leave St. Mary’s this month, Russell Martin acknowledged that a replacement will be signed.

 

Adams, who has scored six goals this season, is Southampton’s second-highest goalscorer after Adam Armstrong.

 

In the Championship, Southampton has scored 46 goals in total. Their opponents for promotion, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Leeds United, have scored 54, 48, and 45 goals, respectively.

 

Martin is still happy with his depth up front, but Saints may have to take action

because Sekou Mara has also been linked to a move.

Here are four options we think could help Saints push on for automatic promotion in the second half of the Championship season…

Danny Ings

Former Saints goalscorer Danny Ings has been a name on the lips of many

Southampton supporters in the lead-up to January.

The Winchester-born player has only started once in the Premier League for

West Ham this season under David Moyes.

His limited minutes, combined with Southampton’s perceived need for a new

number nine has led to some fans wanting a reunion.

Even with injuries to their other forwards, he has not made a mark in the

starting lineup in recent weeks, with Jarrod Bowen favoured upfront.

Ings has only managed to score three goals for the Hammers since joining last January. A drop to the Championship

could help reignite his goalscoring prowess.

Mao Hosoya

Perhaps the least-known name on this list, Mao Hosoya enjoyed a breakout season in 2023.

The J League has become a hotbed for bargain signings, see Kaoru Mitoma and Kyogo Furuhashi as evidence, and Hosoya could be the latest steal.

The 21 year old scored 14 goals in 34 games for a disappointing Kashiwa Reysol last season. His side avoided relegation to the J2 by four points, in large part down to his goals.

Hosoya, who has been linked to Championship side Sunderland, has been named Japan’s squad for this month’s Asian Cup and started their pre-tournament win over Thailand.

A clinical finisher in the box, Hosoya outperformed his expected goals (11.32), while not ranking in the top 30 players for shots per 90 minutes (1.94)

Last season he managed a goal conversion percentage of 21.5 per cent,

an improvement on his numbers from last season (19.1).

For comparison, Armstrong’s goal conversion rate so far this season is 19.4

per cent. Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics sits at 19.5 per cent.

Bojan Miovski

 

Another potential low-cost option would be Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski.

 

Reports north of the border have linked Saints with the North Macedonian forward, who has hit nine goals in the SPFL this season.

 

Saints head of recruitment Darren Mowbray is reportedly very keen on signing Miovski amid believed interest from several clubs.

 

Mowbray signed the 24 year old from MTK Budapest for around £500,000 in July 2022 during his time at Aberdeen.

 

Aberdeen boss Barry Robson is hopeful that the 17-time international will remain at the club.

 

Speaking last month he said: “Bojan enjoys playing here. The way we try and play suits him and I think he has really improved as a player over the last year.

 

“We have worked on his game a lot and you can see the runs in behind and diagonally that he is making.

 

“He is in a good place in his career right now. Selling him is not something we as a football club want to do. We want to keep a hold of him for as long as we can.”

David Brooks

 

Another name linked with Saints in the lead-up to January was Bournemouth’s David Brooks.

 

The Welsh international, who can play out wide or as a number-10, has only managed two starts for the Cherries so far under Andoni Iraola.

 

That has led to rumours suggesting he could make a loan move away from Bournemouth.

 

While admittedly not a striker, signing Brooks would help free up Armstrong to play down the middle.

 

A left-footed right winger, Brooks falls within the profile of player Southampton have looked to add in January.

 

When at his best, the 26 year old is capable of gliding past opposition defenders without the need for much pace.

 

During his last full season in the Championship (2020-21), Brooks managed five goals and seven assists.

The fact that Bournemouth only has a small attacking roster at the moment is one factor that might make it harder for Saints to get Brooks.

 

Both Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo have been called up for the AFCON, and Hamed Traoré will miss a significant amount of time due to malaria.