Saints set to go Dutch again for Mexico and Twente winger Corona
Southampton, 7/4 chances with Coral to finish in the top four this season, are keen to recruit Mexico international winger Jesus Corona from Dutch club Twente for a bargain basement £2.5m price in January.
Tabloid reports claim this low fee is the release clause Saints boss Ronald Koeman would have to pay to land the 21-year-old, who recently made his senior Aztecs debut under animated coach Miguel Herrera.
Corona is cultivating a reputation as a direct player, who will supply fellow forwards with chances. For evidence of this, look no further than his Mexico bow where he set up one of the goals in a 3-2 friendly win over the Netherlands.
Koeman’s apparent interest in Corona, who should not be confused with the goalkeeper of the same name, follows the seamless transitions summer signings, former Feyenoord frontman Graziano Pelle and old Twente teammate Dusan Tadic have made to Premier League football.
Recruiting another wide option will help cover for long-term Southampton injury absentee Jay Rodriguez, and raises the possibility of moving Serbia attacker Tadic into an advanced central role. He played off the front during the second half of Saints’ recent 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
Twice-capped Corona has scored twice and made three assists for Twente in the Eredivisie so far, notably netting the opener against Ajax back in October. That goal certainly helped to raise his profile as it got his team a point at home to the Dutch champions.
Whether a third Eredivisie signing could be the charm for Southampton remains to be seen. Players moving between the Netherlands and the Premier League have either blown hot or cold. For every Ruud van Nistelrooy, there are names likes Afonso Alves.
Koeman’s south coast side face an acid test of their top four credentials in upcoming consecutive matches with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United. Saints are odds-on at 4/9 to end the campaign outside of the Champions League places.
