Southampton are continuing to track Hamza Choudhury, although no official bid has yet been made, as reported by Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett.
How many games has Hamza Choudhury played?
The Leicester City man spent the 2022/23 season out on loan with Watford in the Championship, with gametime hard to come by with the Foxes. As his parent club struggled in the Premier League, the midfielder went on to play in 36 second tier outings for the Hornets though and was a key player for them as they clawed their way into the top half of the division.
His overall stats made for good reading too. He attempted 108 tackles in total, ranking him fifth in that area in the entire league, but also had 67 tackles won – which also ranked him as fifth in those standings. It shows that he isn't afraid to get stuck in and doesn't do it needlessly either, winning most of the tackles he does place.
Leicester have previously utilised him in the top flight too, with the Englishman having made 53 appearances for them in the Premier League over the years. However, only 29 of those have been actual starts and it means that he is still to establish himself as a regular in their first-team picture. When you consider that he was also sent out on a short-term basis last year, it shows that he currently sits down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium, but is a player with high level experience.
Are Southampton signing Hamza Choudhury?
With the Foxes now in the Championship, there could be more opportunities for the 25-year-old to feature, but they may not come with Leicester. That's because, as reported by Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett, Southampton still have a keen interest in the midfielder and their boss Russell Martin is an "admirer" of the tough tackling ace.
It means that he is likely to explore the possibility of a deal but that may not be easy, with the Foxes also now wanting to keep Choudhury at the club. It seems as though they may offer the player a fresh deal and could play him a lot more – so if a bid does go in, he may have a choice to make over his future club.
Choudhury has proven his ability at Championship level, which may be why there is now a scramble to sign and keep him. His stats present him as one of the most solid options in his position at this level and his ability to grind away and break up attacks in the middle of the field is superb.
Journalist Josh Bunting labelled him as "excellent" for his part in a Watford goal during the course of the last campaign, showing that he is a solid option in the second tier. If Southampton do manage to prise him away then, it will be another boost for their squad in their bid for promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.