Southampton have been in the hunt for a new goalkeeper to buoy their hopes of remaining in the Premier League after the 2024/25 season ends, as they fought their way back from a 2023 relegation.
The Saints seemed to have an eight million euro transfer for Feyenoord star goalkeeper Justin Bijlow secured, signing the shot-stopper for nearly half of his actual market value.
However, sometimes the cliche that things are too good to be true end up coming to fruition, and that appears to be the case for Southampton with the Bijlow transfer.
According to a report from Feyenoord beat writer Mikos Gouka, Justin Bijlow is returning to Rotterdam and Feyenoord after his medical with Southampton and will not be transferring to the Saints after all.
That’s a huge blow for Southampton, who thought they were getting a very competent starting goalkeeper with future upside for very cheap. Now, the Saints have to scramble for alternatives before the summer transfer window closes in a few days.
There are a few players Southampton could look to sign, but the most prominent of them is Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, formerly a quality starter in the Premier League in his own right before losing his job to 2023 signing David Raya of Brentford fame.
Ramsdale, an England international, will cost more than Bijlow on wages, and Southampton would have to acquire him on an initial loan with Arsenal likely pushing for a more expensive obligation to buy than the price Southampton would have paid for Bijlow.
Although Ramsdale isn’t the ideal goalkeeper for Southampton from a price standpoint, he is a good player and would help the Saints in the 2024/25 season and potentially beyond.
With Bijlow falling through, Southampton are now going to have to dial up Arsenal and work towards a Ramsdale transfer, as he has been the other main option they have been pursuing alongside Bijlow.
