Southampton's pursuit of Lazio striker Petar Ratkov has gained momentum as the Serbian international's Lazio exit becomes increasingly likely. What happened? Lazio striker Ratkov was intent on remaining in Rome beyond this summer window, but, according to Italian publication TUTTOmercato, has increasingly grown open to the idea of a departure, with Southampton closely monitoring the situation. Why it matters for Southampton Despite his struggles since moving to Italy, there is every reason to believe that Ratkov can still be a success, with time very much on his side. The Serbian had initially turned down a move to Hampshire earlier on in the window to stay and fight for his place, but it has become obvious that he will play no part under Gennaro Gattuso this campaign, and has now opened the door for a move to Southampton. What comes next? Lazio are looking to sell, so whether Southampton will be willing to cough up what would likely be an eight-figure sum for the Serbian is not yet clear, but the window of opportunity has indeed opened for the Saints. With the Championship season underway, Southampton currently sit 24th in the league, -4 points, 0W-0D-1L from 1 games, recent form L. They are 7 points behind leaders QPR and will be looking to strengthen their squad in the coming weeks. The Saints face competition from both Dinamo Moscow and Crvena zvezda for the 23-year-old's signature, but will be confident of pipping Russian and Serbian competition to the post. Ratkov, 23, came through the ranks of Serbian outfit TSC Backla Topola, impressing in his native country and earning a move to the talent factory that is RB Salzburg, the same club that has helped to develop the likes of Erling Haaland, Benjamin Sesko, and Sadio Mané over the years. The striker would make 99 appearances across all competitions during his spell with the Austrian outfit, scoring 22 and assisting 15, earning a move to Lazio in January 2026 for around €13 million (£11.1 million) with add-ons. However, Ratkov has struggled since his switch to Rome, making just nine appearances for Lazio with a direct goal contribution, with an early exit looking increasingly likely.