Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard has shed light on his transfer situation over the last 12 months. The Denmark international admitted that a move was on his mind earlier this year, but he ultimately decided to stay at the request of Ralph Hasenhuttl and the club.
Speaking to Goal.com, Vestergaard mentioned the fact that even in the summer, clubs had come knocking for his services. However, since being convinced to stay, his focus is only on Southampton and he has not received any information on interested parties from his agent.
Whilst his loyalty to the club is admirable, the Saints should look to reevaluate their decision. Is the 28-year-old a player Southampton are reliant on?
Hasenhuttl made a mistake with Verstergaard talks
It’s certainly an odd decision to keep Vestergaard at the club following his quiet 2019/20 season. The Dane was dropped for 17 Premier League matches and missed a further two due to picking up a knock (via Transfermarkt). This hints that Hasenhuttl had no real desire to deploy the defender, especially having four players in the same position fighting for their role in the squad.
When Vestergaard has been on the pitch, he’s been subject to a lot of criticism. Lots of Southampton fans have ridiculed his performances and even club icon Matt Le Tissier has given him both barrels. Speaking to Sky Sports (via HITC), the pundit slammed the Saints man for not doing enough to mark his man.
“It’s a really odd habit to get into,” Le Tissier said following Southampton’s loss to West Ham last year.
But Vestergaard hasn’t just been disappointing for his club, his international displays have also left a lot to be desired. Denmark’s most recent match against England saw him play just 16 minutes, with the previous fixture leaving him reduced to the bench (via Sofascore).
Leicester were reported to be linked to Southampton’s controversial man, but a move didn’t materialise. Hasenhuttl should look to strike up talks against once the January window comes round, in hopes to cash in on the man slowly being phased out of the team.
In other news, Southampton cashed in on Morgan Schneiderlin at the exact right time…
The post Southampton must revisit talks to cash in on underwhelming Jannik Vestergaard first appeared on FootballFanCast.com.
