Ramirez will be costly to Saints

Southampton will potentially have to fork out a record transfer fee of over £12million to secure the services of Gaston Ramirez.

The 21-year-old Uruguayan international had looked set to join Tottenham earlier in the summer when Bologna accepted a bid of around £12.6million. But Ramirez could not agree a wage deal at White Hart Lane and the move collapsed as Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas opted to look elsewhere.
Several other Premier League clubs have expressed an interest in the player after he impressed at the London Olympic Games, but it is Saints chairman Nicola Cortese who has reportedly made a move to hold talks with his Bologna counterpart.
However, if Southampton do want to take Ramirez it is clear they will have to smash their previous record transfer fee, thought to be £7million, paid out to Burnley for forward Jay Rodriguez earlier in the transfer window and stretch their wage structure.
But with the club determined not to be a one-season wonder in the Premier League, it seems Cortese is willing to go the extra mile to try and get the key targets on board before the transfer window closes on August 31.