Top five right-backs Southampton should target in summer 2022

The Saints recently missed out on their top target Neco Williams.

After failing to win a single match in their first seven Premier League games last season, Southampton was heavily tipped to be relegated. Prior to that, the Saints had lost Danny Ings to Aston Villa in the transfer market. But Ralph Hasenhüttl and his men held their heads high and not only avoided relegation but finished 15th.

This season, however, the Saints have different targets. Southampton is looking to reinforce their side with competition in Premier League likely to increase. Despite this, they have so far remained silent on the transfer front. But to provide competition for Kyle Walker-Peters and cover for Tino Livramento's injury, they have been trying to sign a new right-back according to the latest reports.

Today, we are going to take a look at five possible targets for Saints in the transfer market.

Issa Kabore (Manchester City)

Issa Kabore is a Burkinabé right back who recently played for Troyes on loan from Manchester City. He made 31 appearances for the French outfit last season and was a solid force at the right-back spot. Kabore is seen as future prospect at Manchester City. And again is likely not to be part of Pep's plan next season.

Kabore won the AFCON Best Young Player award in 2021 and has been highly rated by many pundits and clubs since then. He would be a good addition to Southampton's lineup plus gaining Premier League experience would help him convince Pep Guardiola to consider him. It is possible that Manchester City will only look to loan him out rather than sell him permanently.

Marcus Pedersen (Feyenoord)

Marcus Pedersen is a Norwegian right back. He plays for Feyenoord in Eredivisie. Despite moving to the Dutch club only last season, Pedersen did not look like a first-timer. He looked comfortable on the right flank and was really comfortable in 1v1 situations. Last season, Pedersen made 30 appearances for Feyenoord and recorded four assists. At 22 years old, he can be a steal-buy for Southampton, and can surely be a big prospect for Saint Mary's.

Yan Couto (Manchester City)

Manchester City signed Yan Couto from Brazilian club Coritiba in 2020. Since then, he has mainly spent his time on loan, but he is expected to leave the Premier League giants in the summer. Last season, Couto was one of the standout performers for Braga FC in the Portuguese League.

During his time with the Portuguese side, he made 19 starts and was an important player on the right. Since his emergence, Couto has been tipped as a future star of Brazilian football. The player is also reportedly a transfer target of many other clubs this summer, with Marseille and FC Porto both interested in signing him. However, Manchester City is unlikely to permanently sell him or might be tempted to include a buy-back clause.

Matt Doherty (Tottenham Hotspurs)

Premier League fans are familiar with Matt Doherty. This Irish right-back currently plays for Tottenham Hotspurs and has previously played for Wolves. Despite being a stalwart at right-back for years, Doherty played just 15 appearances in the league last term and is currently injured.

The former Wolves fullback is reportedly not in Antonio Conte's plans for the upcoming season, and he is happy to let him go. In nine starts last season, he scored two goals and contributed four assists, but has fallen down the pecking order at Tottehenum Hotspur Stadium. Southampton can also consider Doherty as a good option since he is an experienced campaigner.

Brandon Williams (Manchester United)

Several seasons ago, Brandon Williams was considered a highly-rated prospect at Old Trafford, but his stakes have plummeted since then. Consistency has been a problem for him, and the shifting out of position hasn't helped either. The player was even loaned to Norwich City last season, but he failed to make an impact.

In 26 appearances last season, he only registered one assist. The red devils are reportedly trying to get rid of Brandon Williams from the surplus list at Old Trafford. The Saint Mary's side can benefit from signing Brandon Williams, and on top of that, he will be available at a reasonable cost. In addition, he can play both right and left, which can be highly beneficial for Southampton.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.