Southampton are leading the race to sign highly-rated Charlton Athletic youngster Ademola Lookman according to ClubCall. The Addicks have all but been relegated from the Sky Bet Championship and could struggle to hold onto the talented forward this season.
Although the Saints are said to be in the driving seat, Tottenham Hotspur and Mauricio Pochettino are also said to be keen admirers of the 18-year-old, who only signed a contract extension at The Valley in February.
Regardless of his new contract, which lasts until 2020, that seemingly won’t stop Premier League clubs hoping to swoop him up this summer and take advantage of Charlton’s demise this season.
He has helped himself to four goals this season but has made serious strides in terms of ‘making a name for himself’ in the game. The fact that Ronald Koeman’s club have brought through the likes of Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain through their ranks could give them the edge in the race to snap him up.
However, title-challengers Spurs have also nurtured younger players into their first team setup this season as well. The most notable of those is former MK Dons star Dele Alli, who has impressed for both club and country during his first season in the Premier League.
Although Jose Riga would love to keep Lookman at the club, he is certainly a sellable asset and the club will be hit financially, as is the norm which comes along with relegation.
