Southampton targeting pacey £8m Brazilian defender as reinforcement for Ivan Juric

Premier League strugglers Southampton are reportedly making progress in their pursuit of defensive reinforcements for new manager Ivan Juric ahead of the January transfer window. According to reports from Brazil, the Saints are advancing talks to sign left-back Vanderlan from Palmeiras.

The Brazilian club are said to value the 22-year-old defender at around £8 million, which could prove an affordable price for Southampton next month. Vanderlan’s versatility to also play as a left midfielder could make him an ideal fit for Juric’s preferred back-five system, which requires attacking contributions from the wing-backs.

While Vanderlan lacks Premier League experience, his pace and attacking ability have earned him praise from analysts. He could potentially allow Kyle Walker-Peters to switch back to his favored right-sided role, giving Southampton attacking threats on both flanks.

The potential signing of Vanderlan would be a promising start, but Southampton will likely need multiple reinforcements in January if they hope to mount an unlikely push for Premier League survival under Juric. The Italian manager will be hoping for backing from the club’s board to reshape the squad to his tactical vision.