Southampton have completed the signing of Moroccan attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal for a club record free which could reportedly rise to £21million.
The 22-year-old Atlas Lions player joins from French Ligue 1 side Lille, having also been linked to Tottenham Hotspur in the European summer.
“I’m very, very happy to sign for Southampton and I am really excited to play in St Mary’s stadium in front of the fans,” Boufal said after being unveiled by the Saints on Monday.
“Southampton showed big interest in signing me, and I can see that this club is the best place for me to continue my progression as a footballer.
“I hope I can achieve many great things with Southampton. It is a very good club, with excellent facilities, and I feel it is the perfect environment to continue my development.”
The capture of Boufal will go some way toward filling the void left by Senegalese attacker Sadio Mane, who was signed by Premier League rivals Liverpool.
