Southampton are looking to bring in players with experience of winning promotion from the Championship, as they set out to build a squad capable of returning to the Premier League.
The Saints were denied the chance to compete in the Championship play-off final last season, as a result of the 'Spygate' scandal, which means they will start next season with a four-point deduction.
However, promotion should still be achievable, despite the setback, with Tonda Eckert's side amassing 47 points in their final 20 Championship matches, which was four more than any other team.
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It will be important for Eckert to get his recruitment right this summer though, and one of Ipswich Town's 2025-26 promotion winners has now emerged as a target.
Southampton hold talks to sign former Ipswich Town star
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Southampton have now opened talks regarding a deal for Ivan Azon, who currently plays for Como, with the Italian side set to take part in next season's Champions League.
Discussions are ongoing, and a deal could amount to around €9m - €10m (£8m - £9m).
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Why Ivan Azon could be a risky signing for Southampton
The Spaniard was a first-team regular for Ipswich last season, but despite predominantly featuring as a striker, he only managed to amass five goals and four assists in 38 Championship outings.
A return of nine goal involvements over a 46-game season isn't particularly impressive, especially considering he majorly underperformed an xG of 11.5 and missed 21 big chances, which was more than any other Championship player.
That said, it is a positive sign the centre-forward was getting in the positions to score in the first place, and he did contribute with his work-rate, according to McKenna, who said: "He’s determined and hard-working, he’s got all the attributes to succeed at this level."
As such, Azon could be an astute signing for Southampton, if he is able to stop squandering so many good opportunities.
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