Southampton are attempting to complete the permanent signing of Tino Anjorin from Chelsea before the end of the transfer window, football.london understands.
Anjorin spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow but will not return to Russia with Ralf Rangnick’s departure from the club a contributing factor.
Several top Championship sides are interested in taking Anjorin on loan until the summer and Chelsea are believed to favour that option.
However, Southampton are hoping to strike a permanent deal before the end of the window. The Saints are understood to be willing to return in the summer if they can’t get a deal over the line this month.
Despite being highly regarded by Thomas Tuchel and those within his first-team coaching staff at Chelsea, Anjorin opted to join Lokomotiv in the summer on a season-long loan deal that included a £17million option that needed to be triggered this month.
It was a decision taken to ensure Anjorin played regular first-team football having spent the majority of the previous campaign on the fringes of the senior set-up at Chelsea; the 20-year-old made just one substitute appearance under Tuchel despite training under the German throughout his tenure.
Tuchel had hoped to see more of Anjorin during pre-season, but he missed large chunks due to Covid-19.
“I’m a bit sad because he trained so well for us in the last half a year and then the race for the top four was on and there was so many decisive matches every three days, so there was not actually the moment to try stuff with young players,” Tuchel said at the time.
“But he showed his quality in every training, so when the season ended, we both agreed that he stays for pre-season and he will get his minutes that he deserves.
“Unfortunately, before the first friendly starts, Tino was the guy to catch the Covid virus and really suffered for 10 to 12 days.”
Anjorin, who was handed the previously retired No.10 shirt at Lokomotiv, made the ideal start for his new club as he struck a late equaliser against Marseille on his Europa League debut.
