Southampton attacker's exit to Ajax denied by paperwork issues?

Southampton's Kamaldeen Sulemana has reportedly seen his proposed move to Ajax collapse due to paperwork issues.

The 22-year-old made the permanent switch from French outfit Rennes to the South Coast during the January transfer window of 2023, when the Saints were preparing for a top-flight relegation dogfight.

Featuring on 18 occasions in the Premier League during the second half of the 2022-23 term, Sulemana was unable to prevent Southampton from avoiding Championship football.

After netting twice in the Premier League, the winger endured a difficult time in the second tier last season, failing to score during 25 Championship matches.

Starting only 10 times in the 46-game schedule, Sulemana was a fringe player in Russell Martin's squad as they gunned for an immediate return to the top table of English football.

© Imago

Southampton exit off the cards for Sulemana?

According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Sulemana will remain as a Southampton player until at least the January transfer window following problems with a proposed exit.

The report claims that the Premier League Saints and Dutch giants Ajax had agreed on a season-long loan for the attacker from the South Coast to Amsterdam.

With the two clubs shaking hands on a deal, the Eredivisie outfit submitted the required paperwork just minutes before the deadline on September 2.

However, following a review into the situation, FIFA have denied the transfer of Sulemana to Ajax, meaning that he will stay put at St Mary's Stadium.

The Amsterdam-based club are supposedly angered by the verdict, especially after allowing Steven Bergwijn to leave for Al-Ittihad on the assumption that a replacement attacker would be signed in the form of Sulemana.

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Does Sulemana have a part to play at Southampton?

Since making the bench for Southampton at the Championship playoff final against Leeds United in May, Sulemana has barely featured for Southampton.

The 22-year-old has not been included in any of Martin's squad for the club's opening Premier League matches versus Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Brentford.

Scoring just once and failing to collect any points from their first three contests, there is a school of thought that the Saints require new attacking solutions.

That being said, it is hard to see out-of-favour Sulemana providing the answers, with Southampton operating without traditional wingers in a 3-5-2 formation during the opening stages of the campaign.

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