Southampton Transfers: 5 Reasons Why Graziano Pelle Is Perfect For Saints
5. He's Four Years Younger Than Rickie Lambert
In Football, age matters. At 32, and given his lack of pace last season playing up front under Mauricio Pochettino, Lambert is no spring chicken. Although the Barcelona deal for Luis Suarez has now gone through and Lambert might get more game time, it looks like he has gone to Liverpool primarily as a bench warmer and squad option. Pelle meanwhile is 28 - four years younger than Rickie Lambert, and the Saints are desperately in need of a striker with age on his side. Given the fact that Rodriguez is out injured until October as he recovers from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury, Pelle should be able to fit into his running position easily. Although 28 is not exactly young for a footballer, it is also not considered too old by any means, and Pelle will bring experience with his age and that is crucial to Saints at this given time due to fact that the squad lost experienced players in Lambert and Lallana, who had climbed the ranks from the near bottom of the English leagues. According to Saints manager Ronald Koeman, he said:
Hes almost 29 years old, so he brings a little bit of experience to a young team. In terms of his qualities, hes a tall striker with a lot of movement and hes fast."
