Over the years, Southampton have built up a reputation of being a selling club. They have one of the best academies and are brilliant at nurturing players and making them ready for the bigger challenges ahead but due to financial constraints and the might of the other clubs, especially in England, they have had to let go of their main players for quite some time now.
However, credit where it is due, the Saints haven’t really fallen prey to the outgoings of their key men every year as their consistency of being a mid-table side, despite not having the best of budgets to operate it, catches a lot of attention.
Currently placed 13th on the league table with 30 points, Claude Puel’s men are merely 3 points behind 9th placed West Ham United and let’s not forget that they have a game in hand as well.
The departure of Jose Fonte has left a lot to be desired at the heart of the defensive line of Southampton as the Portuguese left for the Hammers in the January transfer window. Lack of resilience at the back is still a major cause of concern for Puel, the testament of which could be derived from the fact that they have leaked 31 goals in the league already. The dire need of getting hold of a centre-back of notable reputation has led the Saints to Leeds United as apparently, the Peacocks’ Pontus Jansson has reportedly attracted interest from the Premier League outfit.
Jansson has been in the form of his life, making 24 appearances for Garry Monk’s side, scoring 3 crucial goals in the process and registering an average pass accuracy of 85%. Defensively speaking, the central defender has won 26 tackles this season with a success rate of 46%, made 37 interceptions, 228 clearances and 33 blocks in the Sky Bet Championship this season and no wonder why he has become a household name in English football. Jansson’s galvanising leadership, impeccable resilience and staggering commitment are impressive, to say the least, and no wonder Southampton are said to be plotting for a move in the summer.
A lot will depend upon whether Leeds United get promoted or have to wait for another season to get back to the top tier. Nonetheless, Southampton have an excellent eye for talent and aren’t likely to sit idle in the summer transfer window. In Jansson, Puel would not only get a defender with quality but will also get a leader-like figure, a void left by Fonte. Should a deal gets struck with respect to the 26-year-old, Southampton would be the real beneficiary in times to come.
Statistics Credits: Squawka.com
