Southampton hoping to sign Diallo after losing Sangare due to work permit issues

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is hoping to finalise Ibrahima Diallo’s move from Brest before the transfer window closes.

The Saints are reportedly close to signing the Senegalese descent on a four-year deal and he could have his medical this weekend.

Hasenhuttl wants the club to avoid another transfer disappointment after missing out on their target Ibrahim Sangare, who left Toulouse to join Dutch club PSV Eindhoven on Monday.

“First we must wait until everything is finished,” he was quoted as saying by Daily Echo.

“I have seen so many things in this transfer window that finally the deal didn’t happen.

“Let us wait until he is here and then we can speak about how important it is.

“We know we have to bring players in, we lost a few players, we have to do something and hopefully this deal will happen.”

The Austrian manager disclosed that a deal for "cheap" Sangare fell through due to his inability to secure a work permit in England.

He also lamented the major difficulty faced by Southampton in the transfer window.

"I think there are some crazy rules out there," Hasenhuttl said per Hampshire Live.

"The last player we wanted to sign we did not get a work permit for because he was too cheap.

"If you have not a lot of money and you want to get a gem that nobody knows about, but maybe you could get him, he cannot get a work permit because he is not expensive enough.

"That makes it difficult for us to strengthen the team with the money we have and this is the big challenge we are facing every transfer window.

Southampton are 15th on the Premier League table and they welcome West Bromwich Albion to St Mary's Stadium for their league fixture on Saturday.