Championship outfit Southampton have completed a deal with Aston Villa for former Everton forward Lewis Dobbin that could be worth up to £10m, including add-ons.
The 23-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the Saints, who reportedly beat out rivals for the forward’s signature.
Dobbin has enjoyed a nomadic career so far
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Dobbin was considered a bright young prospect as he came through the youth ranks at his first club, Everton.
However, he struggled to ever break into the Toffees’ first team, although he did make 20 appearances for the men from Merseyside, scoring once in a 2-0 home win over Chelsea in the 2023/24 season.
During his time at Everton, he did enjoy a loan spell away from the club at Championship Derby County.
In the summer of 2024, Dobbin joined Aston Villa for a reported fee of around £9m. Around the same time, Villa academy product Tim Iroegbunam went in the other direction for a similar fee.
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The Villans decided to loan Dobbin out, and the forward had loan spells at Championship pair West Brom and Norwich City in the 2024/25 season, where he struggled for form.
However, it was in his 2025/26 loan spell at Preston North End that he finally started to show his worth, as he scored 11 goals in 41 appearances for the north west outfit.
Southampton building a squad to challenge for promotion
Dobbin is just the latest signing for the Saints. The club from the south coast have already been active in the transfer market this summer in an attempt to challenge for promotion in the 2026/27 season.
Southampton have completed the permanent transfers of last season’s loanees. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, striker Cyle Larin, and defender George Long have made their loan moves permanent. Dobbin is the first fresh arrival, as the Saints look to secure a return to the Premier League at the second time of asking.