Gyasi Zardes can be a fantastic January signing for Southampton
According to TEAMtalk, Columbus Crew’s United States international striker Gyasi Zardes has attracted interest from Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and Huddersfield Town. Championship clubs Leeds, Norwich and Middlesbrough all keen to make a move for the 27-year-old.
Zardes has had a wonderful 2018 season in the MLS after making a move to Columbus Crew from LA Galaxy, scoring 20 goals from 36 appearances. The 27-year-old, who has 6 goals for the United States at the senior international level, is currently regarded as one of the best strikers in the MLS.
Standing at 6ft. 2 inches with a towering frame, Gyasi Zardes is a tactically versatile attacker who is essentially a centre-forward by trade but he is equally adept at playing on either side of the attack. Despite boasting of incredible physical attributes, Zardes is not a traditional target man but he is exceptionally mobile and lightning quick for a striker of his stature.
A fast and agile striker, his main attributes are his upper body strength, intricate first touch, positional sense and clinical finishing. He can rip apart defences with his pace down the flanks, link up effectively with his teammates in and around the penalty box and can make finishing look like an effortless job even in tight situations.
Furthermore, he can be a huge asset to the team with his movement off the ball to create chances and he is quite good in the air as well, posing a genuine threat from crosses and set pieces.
To put things into perspective, there are certainly no doubts over his potential and he can be equally successful in the Premier League provided he copes well with the dynamic and competitive nature of English football. In fact, he can be a perfect January signing for Southampton, with the Saints in desperate need to bolster their attack to beat the drop.
Southampton have put in some improved performances under their new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl but the Saints still have a lot of work to do if they are to avoid relegation.
Shane Long and Charlie Austin have done little up front to trouble the scorers while Liverpool loanee Danny Ings has blown hot and cold. As a result, Southampton have one of the poorest goalscoring records, having scored 23 goals so far. Quite clearly, they need an in-form striker to turn their fortunes around in the latter stages of the season.
Read More:- Southampton could solve their lack of quality wingers by raiding Leeds United for this 18-year-old breakout star
While it might sound crazy to compare the standard of the MLS with that of the Premier League, Gyasi Zardes is a hugely experienced and versatile striker with 60 goals and 24 assists in the American top flight. He has already shown enough promise to take the next big step in his career and Southampton should make a move for him before the transfer deadline to help them in their bid for survival.
