Southampton ready to enter race for Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon

Southampton are willing to use the startling funds received from the sale of Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool on Fulham starlet and mooted Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur target Ryan Sessegnon as under-fire manager Mauricio Pellegrino seeks to reinvigorate his squad on the south coast.

Sessegnon has attracted attention from a host of top-flight sides since making his debut for his boyhood club at the age of 16 last season, but Fulham managed to tie the coveted teenager down to a three-year contract in the summer transfer window.

The England youth international has since featured in all of Fulham's matches this season as Slavisa Jovanovic's side strive to break into the play-off spots, but it remains to be seen if the Cottagers are able to hold onto the 17-year-old until the summer with the likes of Southampton, Tottenham and United all circling.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is said to be keen on signing Sessegnon and his twin brother Steven for £30m, while United are open to concluding a deal which would see the young full-back remain at Craven Cottage for the remainder of the current campaign.

Southampton may eventually be muscled out of the running for Sessegnon by Tottenham and United, who are in desperate need of a long-term remedy for their troublesome left-back position, but the Saints hierarchy hope their record of developing young players and selling them to bigger clubs will convince Sessegnon to ply his trade in Hampshire, according to the Telegraph.

The Saints are already blessed with options such as Ryan Bertrand at Matt Targett at left-back, but the latter could come into Fulham's thinking should they decide to part ways with their esteemed youth graduate.

Fulham boss Jokanovic, who was recently linked with the Swansea City post before Carlos Carvalhal took over from the dismissed Paul Clement, admits interest in Sessegnon from Premier League outfits flatters both club and player but is keen to see the teenager make an intelligent decision over his future, which has been a hot topic for a number of months.

"It's nice for him [to be linked with the top clubs] and for the club too. And if you want to say, it's nice for myself, I must be satisfied because big clubs are interested in our player," Jokanovic was quoted as saying by GetWestLondon.

"I wish he is going to stay with me, but it's not in my control. I believe he's a clever man, believe the people around him are clever enough, he's played more than 50 games, he's 17, I know in the past in the last summer there's been interest around him but he took the decision to stay with us, a fantastic decision in my opinion!"