Southampton swoop for Clasie as swift Schneiderlin replacement

Tipped to have a bright future, Clasie comes with a serious amount of talent and will add a huge amount of quality to an already well-stocked midfield. With youngster James Ward-Prowse set to play an integral role next season, the duo have the potential to form a potent partnership.

Having made 190 appearances for the club, the player has the requisite experience to progress to a higher level, plus, he has Europa League exposure, something which Koeman will value, with the Saints having qualified to play in the competition next term.

Armed with a range of passing in his repertoire, Clasie is also strong in the tackle and anticipates the pattern of play as well as any other deep-lying playmaker in Europe at his level. Arguably, he is also a more polished player than Schneiderlin and naturally has that touch of class that we have become accustomed to seeing Dutch footballer’s have.

Although Southampton recently suffered a blow when they were unable to retain the services of centre back Toby Alderweireld when he chose to move to Tottenham from Atletico Madrid following a season on loan with the Saints, this signing represent a significant coup.

The club are also tracking a number of other players, with a new centre back deemed a definite priority. Celtic’s Virgil Van Dijk has been identified as a candidate and would be a signing which makes sense, considering another Dutch link.