da lvbet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
da luck： According to The Sunday Mirror (print version, 8th December, page 67) Southampton are open to loan offers for Jannik Vestergaard during the January transfer window.
The ginormous 17-cap Denmark international – who stands at a towering 6 foot 6 – joined the Saints from Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach back in 2018 in a deal worth £18m, although he has largely flopped.
Vestergaard hasn’t managed to do much to stop the goals going in for Southampton, making 11 Premier League appearances so far this season as part of a backline that has been leakier than any other – Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have conceded 35 goals in just 16 games this term.
The 27-year-old has also recently lost his spot alongside Jan Bednarek to Jack Stephens.
Aside from Vestergaard’s poor campaign so far, loaning the former Werder Bremen defender out would continue an embarrassing trend for Southampton.
In recent years, the south coast side have spent a lot of money on players who haven’t gone on to set the world alight at St Mary’s, before being shipped out on loan.
The likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi, Guido Carrillo, Wesley Hoedt and Mario Lemina are all currently out on loan, and cost the Saints a grand total of £68.1m.
Elyounoussi cost £16m.
Carrillo became the Saints’ club-record signing after signing from Monaco for £19m.
Lemina moved from Juventus for £18.1m, whereas Hoedt arrived from Lazio for £15m.
Add the £18m Vestergaard onto that pile – if a loan deal for the Dane does materialise in January – and it would be the latest edition of an embarrassing trend that would see £86.1m worth of Southampton talent shipped off away from St Mary’s.
That would be a damning indictment on just how awfully Southampton have recruited in the transfer market across recent years – even if Vestergaard doesn’t go out on loan, £68.1m worth of players being deemed surplus to requirements is already pretty worrying.
In other news, Dusan Tadic has revealed why he is grateful to Southampton…