Mark Hughes did a decent job late last season to help Southampton out of the drop zone in the Premier League. However, the Saints have an impressive squad, that needs to be competing higher up the points table. The former Stoke City boss is now looking to improve his squad this summer and has been linked with a wide range of stars recently.
One player now on their radar is Jannik Vestergaard.
Born and brought up in Denmark, Vestergaard started his youth career with Brondby but made his first senior appearance in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim back in 2010. He made 23 league appearances in just his second season at the club and spent five years at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, showing progress with each passing year.
In this time, he also managed to break into the national side but failed to make a single appearance in the World Cup in Russia this year. He joined Borussia Monchengladbach, after spending just a season at Bremen in 2016 and has ever since turned into one of the most effective defenders in the German league.
Known for his ability to win everything thrown at him in the air, the 25-year old is also calm and composed in possession. He rarely tries anything fancy at the back and is not prone to errors while his willingness to throw himself around the box makes him all the more impressive.
He loves to clear the ball away from danger but is equally adept at passing it from the back and can be useful in build-up play. He is at his best when his team drop deep, as he loves to marshal his backline and take responsibility to keep the opponents from troubling his keeper.
The Danish talent has a winning mentality that is a real requirement for top-class defenders and at just 25, he has already gathered loads of experience at the highest level, making him a huge asset for the Saints.
Southampton have already signed the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi and Stuart Armstrong this summer but the lack of stability at the back experienced in the last season will certainly see Hughes bring in a defender this summer.
They lost Virgil van Dijk in January but used Jack Stephens and Wesley Hoedt at the back, who only managed to scrape out of the relegation zone. Maya Yoshida remains a decent backup, but Hughes needs a centre-back who can walk into the first team next season and make an immediate impact.
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Vestergaard, who has no real experience in the English league, could be the man to solve some of the many problems at the club. But do you think the Saints can fend off interest from clubs for securing his services this summer?
