Mario Lemina Completes Transfer to Southampton on 5-Year Contract

Southampton have added to their midfield options for the 2017-18 Premier League season, signing Mario Lemina from Juventus on Tuesday.           

The club's official Twitter account announced the 23-year-old has penned a five-year contract:

Lemina's arrival comes just days after Ed Aarons of the Guardian reported Saints had agreed an £18 million fee for the Gabon international. The young playmaker joins former Lech Poznan centre-back Jan Bednarek as Southampton's main signings on new manager Mauricio Pellegrino's watch this summer.

Significantly, James Olley of the London Evening Standard reported how Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger passed on the chance to sign Lemina, despite Gunners transfer-fixer Dick Law recommending the midfielder.

Lemina joined the Italian champions on loan from Marseille in 2015, and Juventus made the move permanent last year. He flashed his considerable talent in limited opportunities last season but was stuck behind the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio in the pecking order.

A central midfielder with excellent athleticism and range, Lemina still has tons of room to grow and expand on his game. His passing isn't great, and he can play out of control at times. But with his blend of technique and raw physical strength, he should be able to make an impact early in his Premier League career.

Lemina can also score the occasional goal and flashed all of his talent when he bagged this beauty.

Bleacher Report's Adam Digby believes this could be an excellent move:

Saints are known for their ability to develop talent, and Lemina is the type of player they can help unlock the full potential of before selling him to a top club for a nice profit. It's a solid move for all parties involved and one that could pay big dividends for Southampton.