Southampton are close to completing a club-record deal for Braga striker Vitinha, writes Jack Rosser.
The south coast club, who are bottom of the Premier League, have agreed to pay the 22-year-old's £26.4.million release clause.
Braga already have a replacement lined up in Fran Navarro from Portuguese side Gil Vicente.
No deal has been completed just yet but the Saints, who face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi-final tonight, are confident they are getting closer to landing a much needed striker before the deadline.
Marseille remain interested in the deal though are yet to reach the same fee as Southampton, while Brighton's interest hinged on the severity of Evan Ferguson's injury which is not as bad as first feared.
