Southampton face transfer battle for highly-rated teen as Championship rivals circle

As we edge ever closer to the January transfer window, more and more transfer rumours keep popping up.

Middlesbrough have already poured cold water on claims that their 13-goal striker Will Lankshear could be on the move in January, with Arsenal reportedly ready to cough up £70m for the golden boot frontrunner.

When it comes to Southampton, there haven't been any real concrete rumours in and out of the building, with some suggestions that they could look at Romaine Mundle and Evan Ferguson to enhance their attack, who are both injured at the moment for Sunderland and Brighton and Hove Albion.

A new bit of gossip has emerged from nowhere, though, which states that the Saints, alongside some fellow Championship promotion contenders, are keeping tabs on this teenage sensation from Scandinavia...

As per OnTheMinute, Tonda Eckert's men are monitoring Malmo midfielder Jovan Milosavljevic, as they weigh up making a future move for the 19-year-old.

Both West Ham and Birmingham City are also named as Championship admirers, with the report stating that the interest is just "exploratory" at the moment, as Milosavljevic's contract with the Swedish giants doesn't run out until 2029.

An imminent bid for his services is not expected, but this is a deal to keep an eye on, as the highly-rated prospect is very much impressing in Allsvenskan action for Gaute Helstrup's outfit.

The Belgrade-born ace has only been on the books of Malmo since October 2025, yet he is already making a big impression in the first-team fold.

First making a name for himself in his native Serbia with FK Železničar Pančevo, he now has Championship interest in his services due to his sparkling early form for the 24-time Allsvenskan champions.

He boasts a standout four goals from 16 games and counting for Malmo, with Milosavljevic capable of playing as a central midfield option, or as a winger on the right flank.

His last goal for Malmo would come when he was played in that right wing spot, as he opened the scoring during an emphatic 3-0 win over Halmstad, with his versatility to play all across the midfield surely a big draw for Tonda Eckert and Co.

The Malmo number 28 also doesn't shirk away from being physical on the pitch, either, with X account Serbian Football Scout labelling him as a "physical box-crasher" back in September, after his impressive start to life in Sweden.

During that aforementioned 3-0 victory, Milosavljevic would win an eye-catching seven ground duels, and complete three successful tackles, with the 19-year-old sticking out as a well-rounded, if slightly unpolished, gem.

A possible transfer to St. Mary's could well occur in the near future, with Southampton known as a great environment for youngsters to thrive in, as Tyler Dibling turned into a £42m diamond on the South Coast as a homegrown prodigy.

But for now, the Saints - if the report is to be believed - will be watching from afar to see what further heights the Serbian starlet can hit in Sweden, with a future transfer tussle potentially ensuing between Eckert and Co. and some of their Championship promotion foes.