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Southampton agree club-record £21m fee for Lille's Sofiane Boufal - Sky sources

Lille midfielder Sofiane Boufal (centre) vies with Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti (right) and Jeremy Morel.
Image: Saints have made a record bid for Lille's Sofiane Boufal (centre)

Southampton have agreed a club-record £21m fee for Lille striker Sofiane Boufal, according to sources at the south-coast club.

If the transfer goes through, it will break Southampton's previous record of £15m, which they paid Roma for Dani Osvaldo in October 2013.

The Paris-born 22-year-old can play as a winger or as a striker. He scored 11 times for Lille last season but suffered a knee injury in May which is likely to keep him out of action until September.

Boufal made his international debut earlier this year, featuring for Morocco in a 1-0 African Cup of Nations qualifying win over Cape Verde Islands in March. 

Saints sold Sadio Mane to Liverpool in the summer, while striker Graziano Pelle moved to China, but Claude Puel has since brought in winger Nathan Redmond and now looks set to add Boufal to his striking options.

Meanwhile, West Brom have held positive talks with Southampton over a loan deal for Jay Rodriguez, with Hull also interested in the 27-year-old.

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