Southampton are understood to be hoping to strike a deal for Torino defender Lyanco, which could end their reported interest in Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall.
The Hucknall-born centre-back has been linked with the south coast club as they intensified their search for a defensive replacement for Jannik Vestergaard, who left for Leicester City earlier this month.
They are far from the only club reported to have shown an interest in the 24-year-old this summer either, as Burnley in particular, plus Crystal Palace, Norwich City and West Ham United have all been linked.
But it appears that Southampton can soon be crossed off the list of suitors.
HampshireLive are reporting that Lyanco is the name at the top of Saints' shortlist and that the club are "hopeful that a deal will soon be struck" with the Serie A side.
This will come as great relief to Reds fans, who may well have been fearing that Worrall had already played his last game for the club when the latest reports first emerged.
The defender is yet to feature so far this season due to a calf complaint, with Forest manager Chris Hughton providing an injury update on the player ahead of this afternoon's trip to Stoke City.
“Joe Worrall won’t make tomorrow," Hughton said yesterday. "We are probably looking at after the international break."
