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Southampton have announced the £13.5m signing of Malian winger Moussa Djenepo on a four-year contract.
The 20 year-old becomes boss Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first signing since arriving at St Mary’s in December.
Djenepo agreed terms at the south coast outfit over a week ago and underwent a medical in Paris. However, the club have been waiting for the Mali International’s work permit to be granted before confirming the deal.
The incoming signing of Djenepo was largely influenced by boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, who is set to rejuvenate the Saints squad and integrate new players that can fit into his high intensity, pressing system.
Speaking on the the club website, Hasenhuttl was delighted to get the deal over the line:
“We are very happy to welcome Moussa as the first new player to join our team ahead of the upcoming season.
He is an exciting player, with tremendous pace and good finishing abilities, who we have watched closely for some time.
We have been impressed with how he has adapted to football in Europe and the impact he has had in many games, and we had an interest in him as recently as January, so I am pleased we are able to bring him into the club.
He combines his quality with a good mentality and he is the right profile of player that we want to sign – still in the early part of his career, already with a lot of talent, but also with a great amount of potential that I believe we can help him to fulfil.”
The pacey attacker, who has eight caps for his country, will meet up for the first time with the squad after the African Cup of Nations, which gets underway in late June.
Djenepo commented on the move:
“I have to adapt quickly to my new club as I want to achieve great things with Southampton and aim to win trophies and win games together as a team.
With football, there is always a loser and a winner, and I want to win lots of games together and for this club to be like a new family for me.
I am looking forward to it and I want to get to know my new family. I hope that it is a quick process and I can hit the ground running. I can’t wait to be around my new teammates and work hard alongside them in a really positive and calm environment.
It’s something I am very proud of, It’s a dream come true. Southampton is a great club and I am very happy to have signed.”
The 20 year-old arrives at Southampton following an outstanding season at Standard Liege, where he earned widespread suitors from all over Europe.
Djenepo scored 11 times for Standard Liège, as he helped guide the Belgian club to a third-place finish in the top-flight and qualification for the Europa League.
