Southampton have introduced the signing of Ben Brereton Diaz from Villarreal for a reported payment of £7million.
Brereton Diaz, who featured in all three of Chile’s Copa America fixtures final month, has signed a four-year contract at St. Mary’s.
The 25-year-old ends a torrid spell with Villarreal, having failed to attain in his first 20 appearances following his transfer from Blackburn Rovers on a free switch final yr.
Brereton Diaz spent the second half of final season on mortgage with Sheffield United, scoring six targets in his 14 Premier League outings.
Throughout his time at Bramall Lane, he gathered the second-highest anticipated targets (xG) inside the Blades’ squad (6.07), a complete solely bettered by Oli McBurnie (6.89) who performed in seven extra video games and scored the identical variety of targets.
Southampton had been on the hunt for attacking reinforcements following the departure of Che Adams to Torino final week, with the Scotland worldwide leaving the membership having scored 48 targets and including 20 assists in 191 appearances for the Saints.
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“I’m completely buzzing. It’s been clean these previous couple of days, and I’m completely satisfied to get every thing sorted and signed. I’m actually excited to fulfill everybody, it’s nice to be concerned with this nice membership,” Brereton Diaz mentioned.
“Watching the membership after I was youthful, it was all the time within the Premier League. Clearly final season, the best way the group performed, they went down however they bounced straight again up as a group.
“Additionally the gaffer as nicely – every thing has aligned collectively, and I feel it’s a tremendous membership. I can’t wait to get began.”
Brereton Diaz turns into Russell Martin’s eighth arrival this switch window following the signings of Adam Lallana, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Charlie Taylor, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Wooden, Yukinari Sugawara and Flynn Downes.