Southampton seek Alberto Bueno bid to strengthen strikeforce

Southampton will seek a summer swoop for Rayo Vallecano’s in-form hitman Alberto Bueno in a bid to strengthen their stuttering strikeforce, with Ronald Koeman becoming frustrated with his current misfiring marksmen.

The Saints, 11/2 with Coral to finish in the top four this term, started the season sensationally with their Italian striker Graziano Pelle having risen to prominence early in his career at St Mary’s. However, a recent poor run has seen Koeman’s men struggle to find the net since the turn of the New Year.

La Liga’s fine forward Bueno could provide Southampton with a revived attacking killer instinct, and help solve their present goalscoring problems, with Pelle failing to bag a Premier League strike since December last year.

Bueno, who is a graduate of Real Madrid’s youth academy, recently dispatched an incredible 15-minute four-goal haul in a Spanish league encounter with Levante, taking his seasonal tally to 12 strikes in 24 appearances.

Koeman’s Saints had held an impressive spot in the top four of the top-flight for a huge portion of this current campaign, but a recent struggle has occurred, with their wasteful front-line faltering with only one goal in the last four league outings.

Vallecano’s sublime Spanish striker Bueno has struck six times in his previous five La Liga games, and is a former Derby County loan signing, after a spell at Pride Park during the 2010/11 campaign when he netted five Championship goals, including a delightful double over Crystal Palace.

The 26-year-old is a former Spain Under-21 international and could soon follow in the footsteps of Swansea City club favourite and fellow countryman Michu, by swapping Vallecano for the Premier League.

Michu is currently on loan at Napoli in Serie A, but was a huge hit at the Liberty Stadium, following a reported £2m transfer from Madrid club Rayo.

The Spaniard bagged 28 goals for the Swans and helped fire them to a League Cup triumph in 2013. Vallecano’s latest prolific poacher Bueno will be hoping to reach similar success at Southampton, if a move to St Mary’s can be finalised this summer.

Koeman’s Saints are odds-on 4/7 to finish in this season’s top six places.