Southampton snaps up Carrillo for reported £19.1M fee

Southampton responded to cries for a striker Thursday with the signing of Argentine hitman Guido Carrillo from AS Monaco on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

The 26-year-old cost the Saints a reported £19.1 million, according to the Guardian's Dominic Fifield.

Having made no more than 15 starts in a given season since joining Les Monegasque in 2015, Carrillo has an opportunity to carve out a starting role for himself at St. Mary's.

Carrillo will have to hit the ground running if he's to turn Southampton's fortunes around.

With Charlie Austin out until March and a case of striker's remorse afflicting both Shane Long and Manolo Gabbiadini, manager Mauricio Pellegrino will now lean heavily on a player he previously coached at Argentine side Estudiantes between 2013 and 2015.

"A huge amount of work has gone into completing this transfer, and we are thrilled that we have now been able to push it through to completion," Southampton vice chairman Les Reed said in a statement.

"Guido represents a very exciting addition to our attacking options ahead of the final months of the season, possessing plenty of experience at the highest level, while also having the potential and desire to improve even further."

Southampton dropped into the relegation zone amid a horrid 11-match winless streak and a woeful return of goals. Long has a single Premier League tally to his name since February 2017, while Gabbiadini last found the net on Oct. 15.

Pellegrino's side could now send crosses into the box with the hope that the 6-foot-2 Carrillo bangs one in.