Mislav Orsic: Southampton complete £8m deal for Croatian forward on a two-and-a-half-year contract | Football News

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Southampton have completed the £8m signing of Croatian striker Mislav Orsic from Dinamo Zagreb.

The 30-year-old has signed a contract until the summer of 2025 and becomes the first Saints signing of the Nathan Jones era.

Orsic made six appearances for Croatia at the World Cup and scored in the third-place play-off against Morocco.

Southampton manager Jones said: “Mislav is an important addition to our squad and I’m delighted to be able to sign him so quickly this month.

Mislav Orsic celebrates after giving Croatia a 2-1 lead against Morocco
Picture:
Mislav Orsic celebrates after scoring the winner in Croatia’s World Cup third place play-off

“He is a serious attacking threat and I’m sure anyone who has followed his progress or seen what he achieved at the World Cup will understand the talent he has. We are delighted to have him here.”

Orsic added: “I’m very happy here, I think it’s a dream for every footballer to come and play in the Premier League and I’m here, I’m ready, I’m motivated and I hope I can help the team to achieve their goals .

“When I came to this camp, it was amazing, and I’m sure I’ll be very happy here. Now it’s a very difficult situation for the club, but I have to stay together. one plan – to stay in the Premier League. We have to work hard every day and hopefully at the end of the year we will be happy.”

Did Jones bite off more than he could chew at Saints?

Nathan Jones
Picture:
Nathan Jones

Sky Sports football reporter Laura Hunter:

“It could hardly have been a worse start for Nathan Jones. Doesn’t the ‘new manager bounce’ rule apply on the south coast? It’s safe to say that the mandate has been polished off St Mary’s and suddenly washed into the nearby English Channel.

“Southampton have lost six Premier League games in a row – finally repeating an unlikely feat in February 2021 – and have not kept a clean sheet in 11 home games.

“Jones did not oversee the entire period, but his tenure has begun with a succession of doom and gloom. Continuation of the downward trend at Saints. The honeymoon period may have been the shortest in the history of the top flight, but for Frank de Boer suffering at Crystal Palace in the year 2017 when he left after four league games.

Nathan Jones
Picture:
Nathan Jones has missed all four of Southampton’s games so far

“Before arriving at St Mary’s on Wednesday, Nottingham Forest had not won a single point on the road. They did not score a single goal. any structure or confidence, casting them more adrift at the foot of the table.

“It was a sobering night. Not least because a significant number of home fans were passionately singing “You don’t know what you’re doing” by the full-time whistle. Choruss of boos can be heard intermittently throughout.

Follow the January transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will move this season? The January transfer window is open Sunday January 1, 2023 and close it at 11 p.m at Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and gossip in our dedicated Transfer Center Blog at Sky Sports’ digital platform. You can also catch up with in, out and analysis Sky Sports News.

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