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Southampton have £16m Liam Delap bid rejected by Man City - Fabrizio Romano
Southampton have had a £16m bid for 19-year-old striker Liam Delap rejected by Manchester City, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The teenager has been allowed to leave the club after the recent signings of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, and several clubs are reportedly interested in the frontman.
Romano has revealed that the English youth international is the Saints’ top target however the reigning Premier League champions have rebuffed their offer.
Romano said: “Southampton have submitted an official bid this week around £16m to sign Liam Delap on a permanent deal.
“However, Manchester City have turned down the proposal.
“Liam Delap is a top target for Southampton but there’s still no agreement in place.”
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Southampton coming back with a counter offer?
It is likely that Southampton will approach City with another offer, as they are big fans of Delap and for good reason.
The 19-year-old is one of the biggest talents in the Man City academy, after moving to the Etihad from Derby in 2018.
The striker has now made 54 appearances for Man City’s youth teams, scoring 46 goals during that time.
Delap, son of former Premier League midfielder Rory Delap, has also made six appearances for Man City’s first team, scoring 18 minutes into his professional debut against AFC Bournemouth in 2020.
The six-foot-one frontman also fits in with Southampton’s recruitment policy as the club have focused on younger talents like Romeo Lavia and Gavin Bazunu, both from Manchester City.
The club have only made one signing over the age of 23 so it is no surprise that they are showing so much dedication to bring in the talented English forward.
The teenager would be an exciting signing for the club but it is yet to be seen how much the Premier League champions would ask for.
In other Southampton news, Sekou Mara may be the perfect Armando Broja replacement.