The Spanish sport media have been in widespread agreement for a while on Mohammed Salisu to Southampton. With a €12m release clause, the defender was likely to leave Real Valladolid this summer, after he impressed with the club over the season.
It was just a question of where, and his choice landed on the Saints, even though Rennes offered higher wages. Diario de Valladolid explain the Premier League won’t be paying the clause by force, but rather they’ve agreed with Spanish club to treat it as a conventional transfer.
According to the newspaper, Salisu is ‘already a Southampton player’ and the English side are waiting for the best time to make the announcement. They’re taking marketing advice to find out when would have the most ‘social impact’.
Whether that’s true or not, there could also be the question of quarantine. Arrivals in the UK from Spain have to self-isolate for two weeks, so if Southampton don’t need him physically in the country then they could take the risk of waiting.
Diario de Valladolid say Salisu last visited Valladolid two weeks out to arrange the formalities over his departure from the city. They don’t say where he then went, which would obviously also have an impact on any quarantine required.
If he’s returned to Ghana then he’d also be subject to UK self-isolation, although there could be the possibility this has been anticipated and he’s travelled elsewhere.
