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Southampton Refusing To Bow Down To Trabzonspor On Orsic Transfer

Mislav Orsic's time at St Mary's has not been a great period for either player or for that matter the club, it is in the best interests for all that they part ways quickly, but that does not mean that Saints will be bowing down and giving him away.

A report on Sportswitness Mislav Orsic has agreed a deal with Turkish club Trabzonspor, which is all well and good, but Saints have not agreed a price with the potential buyers and more to the point are not budging on their valuation of a player for whom they paid a little over £5 million only 6 months ago in the January transfer window.

They are getting their info from

In simple terms that means that the player wants to go, but he is on too much money at St Mary's, that means that Trabzonspor can only afford to sign him if they can get him on the cheap and thus use the money saved to make up the difference in what they would usually pay.

Southampton though are prepared to take a loss on the player, but they are not prepared to give him away and are sticking resolutely to, that is said to be around £3.75 million, in truth in English football terms a pittance for a player who was starring at the World Cup Finals 7 months ago.

Tranbzonspor are a big club in Turkey and surely they must be able to afford that sort of money, although a quick look at their record transfer signing, shows that the highest fee paid out by the club is around £6.5 million for Majeed Waris in 2014/15, although since then they have regularly paid out fees between that record and the £3.75 million being asked by Saints.

So it seems this one could end in deadlock with Trabzonspor unless the Turkish club up their offer a little.

One question that isn't being asked though is whether Orsic could have a future at St Mary's ?

Russell Martin will be his 3rd manager at St Mary's in 6 months, both Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles ignored the Croatian international, but could the new manager with his possession based football better suit Orsic ?

Of course the player himself seems keen to get away and play top flight football in Europe, but his agent needs to find him a club who are willing to pay the going rate, rather than try and get him on the cheap.

I know all things are relative and the Turkish Super league isn't the highest paying league, but Trabzonspor are supposedly one of the top clubs, winning the competition in 2021/22, last season they dropped to 6th and perhaps the fact they are unwilling or unable to pay £3 million for a player is one of the reasons for that.

If that does not happen then Orsic may well find himself plying his trade in the Championship next season

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