Hasenhuttl may be heading for Saints disaster over "clinical" £8.1m-rated monster - opinion

Manager Ralph Hassenhuttl has won over critics this season as his Southampton team have played some exceptional football, particularly in recent weeks including their 3-2 win away at Antonio Conte’s Tottenham.

Their high-flying wing-backs Tino Livramento and Kyle Walker-Peters have received plenty of praise for their attacking performances, while James Ward-Prowse is regularly gaining admirers and earning plaudits.

One player, however, who has had arguably the biggest break-out year of the season is on-loan striker Armando Broja, who at 6 foot 3, has terrorised defences this season.

Southampton are desperate to make their temporary deal for Broja a permanent one, but with Chelsea tempted about the idea of keeping the Albanian, and interest from Arsenal, Hassenhuttl might face an uphill battle to acquire him.

While Transfermarkt value the striker at just £8.1m, it’s extremely unlikely that Chelsea will accept a bid anywhere close to that number – due to his unique combination of size, skill and pace.

Should the south-coast club be able to sign Broja on a permanent deal, it simply much be completed as the 20-year-old has the potential to become one of the best strikers in the league, if not the continent.

Ignoring the eight goals in 25 games so far in all competitions this season, he is also demonstrating superb ability as a hold-up striker – being in the top 10% across Europe’s top five leagues for aerials won as a forward (4.68 per game) as well as in the top 22% for progressive carries (4.13 per game) and dribbles completed (1.38 per game).

The Slough-born striker also has demonstrated his ability when asked to lead the press, as he is in the top 14% for interceptions (0.69 per game) and 23% for pressures (17.55 per