Most recently at FC Barcelona
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Southampton FC are apparently close to signing defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu. As “The Athletic” reports, the Saints are negotiating a contract with the clubless 34-year-old until the end of the season, which could include an option for another season.
In the summer, the former Stuttgart professional’s contract with FC Barcelona was terminated so that he could look for a new employer before the next transfer window in January. Romeu is due to travel to England shortly to undergo a medical with Southampton.
The Premier League relegated team has just parted ways with coach Will Still, who was hired from Lens in the summer. The team around Caspar Jander (22), Joshua Quarshie (21) and Leo Scienza (27), which was strengthened for around 56 million euros, only got twelve points from 13 games in the Championship and is in 21st place, just three points above the relegation zone.
For Romeu it would be a return to the club for which he played the most games in his professional career between 2015 and 2022. After 256 appearances, the veteran moved on to FC Girona before his training club Barcelona took over in 2023 for a transfer fee of 3.4 million euros.
There are still 800,000 euros left of his highest market value of 12 million euros from 2018 at Southampton. This makes him one of the most valuable unaffiliated professionals in his position. “FC Barcelona thanks Oriol Romeu for his professionalism, commitment and dedication and wishes him good luck and much success for the future,” said a club statement at the beginning of September.