Southampton is prepared to make a £12m bid for Jesuran Rak-Sakyi following an initial offer being turned down.
Crystal Palace favors sending Rak-Sakyi on loan to a Championship club, given his limited impact last season with just 6 Premier League appearances.
Hull City and Leeds United are also showing interest, but Southampton might persuade Palace with their offer.
According to reports, Southampton isn’t deterred by Crystal Palace’s rejection of their initial bid for Jeserun Rak-Sakyi. The south coast club is prepared to significantly increase their offer to secure the young talent.
Rak-Sakyi made a strong impression during his loan at Charlton Athletic in the 2022/23 season, scoring 15 goals and providing 8 assists in League One at just 19. However, his progress was hampered last season as he spent much of his time on the bench at Selhurst Park. Southampton aims to revitalize his development and is reportedly ready to offer £12 million to bring him to their squad, according to Alan Nixon on Patreon.
Southampton “Ready” to Bid £12M for Rak-Sakyi
The youngster could be on his way to the south coast
The report indicates that Southampton is prepared to make a revised offer for Crystal Palace’s Jeserun Rak-Sakyi, with a proposed fee of around £12 million planned for their upcoming bid.
Their initial £7 million offer was rejected by Dougie Freedman and the Palace management. Undeterred, Southampton is set to nearly double their original bid, aiming to make Palace reconsider their stance.
Crystal Palace views Rak-Sakyi as a valuable long-term prospect, having been described as ‘remarkable’ by former manager Roy Hodgson. However, given his limited impact last season—making only six substitute appearances in the Premier League—Palace prefers to loan him out to a Championship club.
| Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s League One statistics – Charlton squad ranking, 2023/24. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats | Output | Squad rank |
| Appearances | 43 | 2nd |
| Goals | 15 | 1st |
| Assists | 8 | 1st |
| Shots Per Game | 2.1 | 1st |
| Dribbles Per Game | 1.9 | 1st |
| Match rating | 7.03 | 1st |
Southampton is determined to change Palace’s stance, although securing Rak-Sakyi may require an even higher offer. Hull City and Leeds United are also in the running, with Leeds being well-positioned due to Palace’s preference for a loan deal over a permanent sale. However, a substantial offer from Southampton could influence their decision.
Palace might be hesitant to sell Rak-Sakyi at the moment, especially since they have already parted ways with Michael Olise. Although negotiations are progressing for replacements like Emile Smith Rowe and Ismaila Sarr, the departure of Olise has not yet been fully addressed, which could complicate Southampton’s efforts until Palace secures a suitable replacement.
Southampton Need Attacking Recruits
The Saints have been defender-heavy in the transfer market
Southampton has signed five defenders ahead of their Premier League return, strengthening both their short-term and long-term defensive options. However, to ensure survival in the top flight, they will need to focus on boosting their goal-scoring.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis has demonstrated his quality with back-to-back promotions from the Championship to the Premier League, first with Burnley and now with Southampton. Additionally, former Burnley teammate Charlie Taylor has joined the south coast club on a free transfer, bringing experience and solidity to their defense.
Southampton has added Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood as promising young defenders, though they’re unlikely to see immediate action. Yukinari Sugawara has joined from AZ Alkmaar to provide competition on the right side of defense. While these five new signings are excellent additions, the team may need further reinforcement to truly excel.
In addition to the arrivals of Adam Lallana and Flynn Downes, Southampton has lost key loan signings like David Brooks, Ryan Fraser, and Joe Rothwell, and Che Adams has departed on a free transfer. This has significantly weakened their attacking options from last season. Despite Jeserun Rak-Sakyi’s limited top-flight experience, he represents a valuable long-term prospect who could develop with more first-team exposure.