Southampton line up £15m double swoop for Barcelona striker Cristian Tello and Malaga midfielder Recio
Since losing Victor Wanyama Saints boss Claude Puel has been on the lookout replacements ahead of tough Europa League campaign
SOUTHAMPTON are lining up a £15million double swoop for Barcelona striker Cristian Tello and Malaga midfielder Recio.
Right-sided Tello, 24, has spent the past two seasons away from the Nou Camp on loan spells — at Porto and Fiorentina — but is now looking at a move to England on a permanent contract.
He has scored 20 goals in 86 games for the Catalan giants, and while Swansea have also expressed an interest, the Saints appear in the box seat with the Catalan giants likely to accept a £10m bid.
The St Mary’s outfit, who finished sixth last season and therefore will play Europa League football this coming campaign, are also keen on £5m Recio, 24, who joined his home-town club six years ago.
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Everton boss is keeping tabs on the defensive-minded central midfielder as well, like he did when in charge at Saints.
But his old side, looking for reinforcements after losing to Spurs, are in the lead at this stage.
The Saints have money to spend after netting over £60m with the departures of Wanyama, Graziano Pelle to Chinese club Shandong Luneng and to Liverpool and have so far brought in Nathan Redmond from Norwich and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Bayern Munich.