Report: Southampton agrees to £21M fee for Lille's Boufal

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Southampton has reached a swift agreement in its swoop for Lille's Sofiane Boufal, meeting a £21-million (€25-million) valuation for the attacking midfielder, according to Sky Sports' Paul Vinnell.

Reports surfaced on Wednesday suggesting that Boufal would cost an initial £17 million (€20 million) with the additional cost coming courtesy of performance-related add-ons. The deal would mark a club-record transfer fee for the Saints and would see the player reunite with his former manager at Lille, Claude Puel.

The previous most expensive deal conducted at St Mary's was £15-million for forward flop Dani Osvaldo from AS Roma.

Boufal's dynamism on the ball has won him a legion of admirers over the past 12 months, with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Watford all apparently registering an interest, but its Southampton who is nearing the unveiling of the 22-year-old.

He made 27 starts over the 2015-16 Ligue 1 campaign, scoring 11 goals and registering four assists while showing a propensity to cut inside from the flanks in devastating fashion. His pace can be phenomenal, and his confidence sees him ping shots from distance with great regularity.

In addition to working his way through the channels from attacking midfield, Boufal is also adept up front, filling a dearth felt on the south coast since Graziano Pelle left for the riches of China and Sadio Mane departed for Liverpool.

The incumbent striking options comprise of Shane Long and Charlie Austin, with Jay Rodriguez apparently in talks over a loan move to West Bromwich Albion.

Southampton started its season with a home draw against Watford and then a 2-0 loss at Manchester United last Friday. Puel's squad hosts Sunderland on Saturday.