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Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi is being strongly linked with a move to Southampton but here is why it may not be a great idea.
Southampton are reportedly keen on signing Nigerian striker Terem Moffi from FC Lorient and are said to be planning a bid for him.
The Saints are currently bottom of the Premier League having scored 15 goals in 17 games so far, the fifth-lowest tally in the division, underlining their goalscoring issues.
They now aim to fix this issue by adding Moffi who has been in red-hot form to their attack in the January transfer window but this move may not be entirely right for the player.
Terem Moffi is too good for Southampton
Moffi is currently the joint-third top scorer in the French Ligue 1 this season with 10 goals, only Paris Saint Germain duo, Neymar with 11 goals and Kylian Mbappe with 13 goals have scored more so far.
Along with those two, only Erling Haaland (21), Harry Kane (13), Robert Lewandowski (13), Christopher Nkunku (12), Ivan Toney (12) and Aleksandar Mitrovic have scored more goals in Europe’s top five leagues than Terem Moffi in the 2022/23 season so far.
His 10 league goals in 16 league games so far this season make him a transfer target in the January window but it should not be for Southampton.
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As earlier mentioned, Southampton are bottom of the league with a rookie manager in Nathan Jones at the helm of affairs, this club appears destined for relegation.
From Moffi’s perspective, it is understandable that a Premier League move could be tempting for him as it is the biggest league in the world and he also spent some of his youth in the country.
But the 23-year-old is at a point in his career where a wrong move could ruin his momentum and current career trajectory which appears destined for a top European club.
Terem Moffi’s track record
Moffi’s current run of form is not some sort of purple patch that needs to be cashed in on as soon as possible, this is a player that has scored goals his entire career.
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Lorient splashed €8 million as a newly-promoted club in 2020 to sign Moffi from Belgian side, KV Kortrijk and their investment paid instant dividends.
Moffi scored 14 goals in 32 league games to finish as Lorient’s top scorer and help the club avoid the predicted instant relegation in his debut season.
2021/22 was not quite as good as Moffi endured goal droughts and would manage eight goals in 37 league games, probably the only reason he’s still at Lorient.
However, the centre forward has bounced back superbly this season, reminding everyone of his class and putting himself back into the transfer spotlight.
The above-listed information paints the picture of a player that is too good for this Southampton team, especially if they do get relegated few months after he has signed, what then?
What should Moffi do then?
At this moment, Southampton are the only club being linked to him, it is better to stay with Lorient who are currently sixth in Ligue 1 than move to the worst Premier League team according to the 2022/23 table.
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If another offer from a better team comes in, then it can be weighed but right now, Moffi’s best option is to finish the season with Lorient and see how many more goals he can rack up while helping his team continue to overachieve.
Moffi will expectedly be in higher demand in the summer transfer window when more clubs are willing to spend and add to their squads.
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He would also have just one more year left on his contract by then, making it even easier to negotiate as Lorient will know that is their last chance to cash in on their prize asset.
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