A new centre back is the player that Southampton need more than any other. We have already discussed a couple of potential options earlier on, but Ba is a little unproven and Kouyate could well end up somewhere bigger. There is one defender, though, who has been a Saints target since the days of Nigel Adkins and may yet prove the ideal defensive partner for Lovren: Davide Astori. A highly accomplished defender, Astori has spent the last six years at Cagliari, but the Sardinians consistent position in the lower half of Serie A is unlikely to remain sufficient for Astori's ambitions now he is seeking to establish himself in the national team. Cagliari's £12.5 million valuation of the defender was the probable stumbling block in negotiations with Southampton during the January transfer window. With the likely windfall from the sale of Shaw, however, Saints should be very capable of upping their bid. They will need to close the deal soon, though, before interest from Rafa Benitez's Napoli and Astori's former club AC Milan solidifies into a concerted attempt to keep Astori in Italy.
