Southampton agree £19.1m deal to sign striker Guido Carrillo from Monaco

Southampton have agreed a fee of €22m (£19.1m) with Monaco for the Argentinian striker Guido Carrillo and are confident of completing a deal before the end of the transfer window.

The struggling Premier League club have been desperate to add to their forward ranks after a difficult first half to the campaign under Mauricio Pellegrino.

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The outlay on Carrillo would represent the release of the first tranche of money generated by Virgil van Dijk’s £75m sale to Liverpool, with further reinforcements anticipated. There is strong interest in the Dutch winger Quincy Promes at Spartak Moscow who could cost a club record £30m.

Carrillo, 26, has been used primarily off the bench by Monaco this season, with only two league starts, but has scored five goals for the Ligue 1 champions. Southampton had initially hoped to buy him for closer to £15m, and had an offer rejected this week, but have moved to conclude the deal by striking a compromise with the need for forward recruits clear.

Charlie Austin is injured, Shane Long has scored once since February 2017 and the Italy international Manolo Gabbiadini has struggled badly after a bright start to his career in England last term.

The 6ft 2in Carrillo worked with Pellegrino at Estudiantes and has spent the past two and a half years in France. Once personal terms have been finalised, he will join a side winless in the top flight since November, and nestled awkwardly in the bottom three despite an encouraging draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.