Fulham are confident of signing Southampton centre half Mohammed Salisu after agreeing a £15m fee for the Ghanaian international.

The 24 year-old defender has played eighty senior matches since moving to St. Mary’s from Real Valladolid three years ago. He was unable to prevent the Saints sliding into the Championship last season and is keen to return to the top flight as soon as possible. Fulham have moved quickly to head off interest from Monaco in the ball-playing centre half who is considered to be an ideal fit for Marco Silva’s adventurous style of football.

The Kumasi-born defender began his career with Kumasi Barcelona Babies before joining the Valladolid youth academy in 2017. He spent two seasons in the ‘B’ squad before being to the senior side, making his debut in a Copa del Ray defeat at Getafe. Salisu made 34 appearances in two further seasons at Valladolid before being brought to England by Ralph Hasenhüttl in a deal worth £11m.

Salisu has made six senior appearances for Ghana, scoring twice, since making his Black Stars debut in a friendly defeat by Brazil last year. He scored his first goal against Switzerland last number – in a pre-World Cup friendly – and scored the opener in Ghana’s 3-2 win over South Korea in the group stage.