Time and again various clubs have raided Southampton to rope in various players and it’s been a major problem for the club to keep a hold of their prized assets. The academy of the Saints is renowned for producing world class talents with the likes of Luke Shaw, Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale emerging from their ranks. This time also the club saw a number of players moving out from the club with the Saints gaining more than £50m from transfers.
Despite having ambition and a good setup, the club has failed to keep their players. It might be due to a long absence of major silverware in the club trophy room. The last time they won a major trophy was in the year 1976 when they became the winners of the FA Cup. Since then they have failed to convert their performances into a trophy winning season.
This season also has been the same. They have managed to secure a top ten finish for the last couple of seasons but the failure to win any trophy has seen a lot of players leaving the club.
Three Players Southampton Should Retain At Any Cost
Manolo Gabbiadini
When Claude Puel pulled off the miraculous signing of Manolo Gabbiadini no one could have imagined that the Italian forward would become an instant hit in the Premier League. The £17m arrival from Napoli has already struck four goals in as many games in the Premier League. Gabbiadini was struggling to find the back of the net but Puel took a risk by bringing the player to England and the gamble seems to have paid off. The Italian needs to be a bit more clinical with his finishing to make his spot in the starting lineup permanent.
Dusan Tadic
Tadic has been a revelation in this season and Puel’s decision to shift him further upfront is reaping the dividends for the Saints. Tadic hasn’t been able to recreate the same magic after Ronald Koeman decided to leave St Mary’s but his skill and technique would be very crucial for the Saints if they want to secure European football.
Virgil Van Dijk
The 25-year-old has had a fantastic season so far and his impressive form has linked him with a number of clubs. He is aerially very strong and is very good when it comes to going for a tackle. Southampton just cannot afford to lose him as it would be very hard to find a suitable replacement or him.
