Southampton transfer news: Saints eyeing Atletico Madrid star Nicolas Gaitan but £100,000-a-week wage could prove issue
Argentine is desperate to move in order to keep alive his faint World Cup dream after hardly featuring under Diego Simeone
SOUTHAMPTON want Atletico Madrid star Nicolas Gaitan - but his wage demands could price them out of a move.
Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino has been tracking the Argentine for months and knows him from his time working in Spain.
However, his £100-000-a-week salary could prove too much for Southampton, according to The Mail.
Gaitan, 29, is desperate for some more match action as he looks to seal a place in his country's squad for the summer's World Cup.
Diego Simeone brought him to the Spanish capital back in 2016 after being impressed by his displays for Benfica.
But things have not gone to plan for the ace as his fellow countryman has only given him limited opportunities to impress in the first-team.
Gaitan's place in the national squad is now seriously under threat due to his lack of club action.
He has only featured 12 times for Atletico so far this season.
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A move to the Premier League is an appealing one - with West Ham also interested in his services.
David Moyes has now decided not to pursue a move in this transfer window, leaving the options for Gaitan few and far between.
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That puts Southampton in the driving seat, but even a potential loan swoop rather than a permanent deal could be jeopardised over his wages.
The South American made his name in Europe during his six years in Portugal.
He helped the Primera Liga giants to win the title on three occasions during his stint at the Estadio da Luz.
His last cap for his country came back in 2016 and he is now only an outside bet to be on the plane to Russia.
But he still harbours hopes of making Jorge Sampaoli's 23-man squad and knows his best chance of that is to leave the Wanda Metropolitano.