Tottenham Hotspur may turn to Alex Song if Southampton continue to insist that Morgan Schneiderlin is not for sale this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino has made Schneiderlin one of his top targets for his White Hart Lane side, but his former club are refusing to consider selling the France international. And whilst the Saints have proved that everyone has a price over the past few months, it is believed that the Londoners are refusing to be held to ransom over the player.
This is well thought to be a source of frustration for the 24-year-old, who is widely said to be keen on a move to Spurs after seeing many of his team-mates leave since last season. Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren have all joined Liverpool, whilst Luke Shaw has linked up with Manchester United and Calum Chambers has signed for Arsenal.
It now appears as though Schneiderlin could have missed out on a reunion with Pochettino, who is now reportedly considering switching his attention to Song. The Cameroon international is well versed to life in the English capital, having served rivals Arsenal for seven years before leaving for Barcelona during the summer of 2012.
Luis Enrique has made the 26-year-old surplus to requirements, though, and the Catalans are prepared to let the player leave on a free loan for the duration of the current season, or let him leave permanently for a little over half of the £15million they paid the Gunners for his signature. Either option is likely to appeal to Tottenham, but The Telegraph claim they could face competition from Premier League rivals Everton.
Roberto Martinez’s plans of pushing for a top-four finish have been rocked with the news that midfielder Ross Barkley could be out of action for up to five months with a knee injury, so he could see Song – who assisted 14 goals in his final season with the Gunners – as the ideal replacement. Manchester United, meanwhile, are also being mentioned as potential suitors, as Louis van Gaal looks to rebuild the squad he inherited this summer.
Song scored one goal in 20 La Liga appearances during his debut season in Spain, and failed to register in one less outing last term. But whilst goalscoring is not a natural part of his game, his arrival would add more steel to the midfield of whichever team he may join, and he is also capable of providing service to the forward line.
