From NewsnowIf Ramirez left the club he would leave a rather obvious whole in the teams attacking line up, with the only other attacking midfielder in the squad being Guly, who is a solid player, but would not match up to the man he was replacing. This would leave Pochettino with a dilemma and there would be the definite need to bring in some more creative talent.Espanyol’s Joan Verdú is a strong candidate for this role and should be a potential target as a Ramirez replacement. The flamboyant midfielder may not be that young but he could bring some valuable experience to the squad, not to mention his superb ability on the ball and determination in every game. There is also the possibility of signing him on a free transfer as talks with his current club appear to be breaking down and he may walk. It was claimed by talkSport that Juventus may want Ramirez as a replacement for Andrea Pirlo. Ramirez does have a very bright future ahead of him, but it may be too early to claim he will be a fitting replacement to one of the greatest midfielders of his time. Ramirez should also consider his career when debating the move, especially the array of attacking talent already present in the Juventus squad, and whether he would get the playing time he needs to progress. Either way, this transfer rumour should be of great concern to Saints and the manager should do everything he can to keep the young star. However, if he were to go, the chairman should be prepared to dig deep into his pockets to find a replacement for Ramirez and keep Southampton’s promising future alive.
