Southampton have announced the signing of forward Kamaldeen Sulemana for a club-record fee on the final day of the January transfer window.
The Saints paid £22 million to sign the Ghana international from French club Rennes. The fee is higher than they paid to sign Liverpool attacker Danny Ings in 2019.
Sulemana had to choose between Southampton and Everton after the two clubs reached an agreement with Rennes, and he chose Southampton, where he will play alongside his Ghana teammate Mohammed Salisu.
Sulemana joined Rennes from Danish club Nordsjaelland in 2021 for a reported €20 million.
#SaintsFC is delighted to announce the signing of @Kamaldeenho10 on a four-and-a-half-year deal from @staderennais:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 1, 2023
Sulemana made three appearances at the World Cup in Qatar and was recorded running at 35.7kph (22.2mph) during the tournament, the quickest speed of any player.
“This is another really positive addition for us this month. We have been keen to add a little more potency to the side and Kamaldeen does that for us,” manager Nathan Jones said.
The 20-year-old was adamant about leaving Rennes, where he had seen his playing time cut short. Sulemana has only played 536 minutes this season for Rennes.