Report: Saints enquire for £15m-rated EFL fullback also being eyed by PL side and European giants

Southampton have joined the race for Nottingham Forest defender Matty Cash, with AC Milan and West Ham also keen on the Championship youngster.

Sky Sports News report that the Saints have enquired for the 22-year-old fullback who is also being watched by the Serie A giants as well as the east London Premier League side, with The Athletic reporting that AC Milan have already made a £15m bid for Cash, who has found himself in the centre of a three-way war for his signature.

The Forest academy graduate has been one of the club’s most important players this season as the historic Championship side mount their best charge for promotion to the Premier League in years, with stats from WhoScored showing that Cash has been an ever-present force down the right-side in either defence or midfield.

Is the defence the number one area Ralph must improve this window? Yes, we leak in too many goals Vote No, things are starting to turn around for us Vote

And Southampton have been on the lookout for a fullback this month, with Ralph Hasenhuttl admitting to Sky Sports News that he will be looking to strengthen in this position with Cedric Soares set to leave the club come to the end of the season and Yan Valery hardly featuring this campaign due to injury and illness.

Fulham defender Joe Bryan has been another defender that has been linked with a move to Southampton this month as reported by Sky Sports News, yet Cash could be the more suitable option for the Saints and Hasenhuttl’s style of play.

With the 22-year-old a versatile player who can operate as both a defender and a midfielder as positional stats from WhoScored show, Cash could slot into Hasenhuttl’s system perfectly with the Austrian opting to use fullbacks who aren’t afraid to push high up the pitch and cause damage in the attack.

The Saints face a tough battle for Cash, though, with a club as big as Milan seemingly in the lead for the defender, but Southampton’s policy of playing younger players and being an ideal stepping stone for prospects could be an intriguing proposition for the Forest star.