THREE European clubs reportedly attempted to sign Saints striker Sekou Mara on loan this month, but had proposals rejected by the club.
The 20-year-old striker scored his first goal since a summer move from Bordeaux in the famous 2-0 win over Manchester City in the EFL Cup quarter-final last week.
Mara, who wowed supporters with an impressive early assist on his first Premier League appearance, during a 2-2 draw with Leeds United in August.
But the youngster has since only made three starts in league competition, having managed under 500 minutes for Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones in all competitions.
French publication Foot Mercato report that Ligue 1 sides Strasbourg and Lorient, as well as German outfit Augsburg, all submitted concrete proposals for Mara.
They wanted to take the France under-21 international on loan for the rest of the season but were instantly dismissed by Saints.
Jones’s side need reinforcements in attack and are already on the lookout for another forward in the January market, with Mara still playing a key rotational role.
After his impressive goal versus English champions City next week, the Frenchman could be due for increased game time as Jones enters a busy period of fixtures.
Mara cost Saints around £11million to purchase from Bordeaux in the summer but only became available at such a price due to financial concerns at the French club.
Mara’s transfer was considered important in rescuing Bordeaux, who had been relegated to the second division, from slipping further down the leagues as a result of liquidation.
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