Ralph Hasenhuttl opens up on potential ‘necessary’ January exits

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has insisted the Saints are not a selling club but they might have to sanction exits for some players who are coming towards the end of their deals.

The Saints have made an excellent start to the campaign, fourth in the Premier League heading into tonight’s clash with Arsenal. Hasenhuttl’s side look set to face a crucial January transfer window in which they mayneed to hold onto all of their most important players, while the Austrian has already ruled out wholesale additions to his squad.

One player who has been quite heavily linked with an exit from St Mary’s in January is Fraser Forster, with Celtic continuing to be linked with a fresh move to bring him back to the club for a third spell. Meanwhile, contract discussions over both Danny Ings and Ryan Bertrand are thought to be progressing well, so it will be interesting to see if they sign new deals before the window opens.

Speaking to the media, via Herald Scotland, Hasenhuttl revealed that the Saints are not fearful of losing any of their key assets in January, but also suggested that they could be forced to allow some players to leave the club if they are not signing contract extensions.

He said: “It seems rapid that the next transfer window comes – it seems like yesterday I spoke about the last one, which was closed a little bit later.

“I am never scared of any transfer window because this is the way we go. When we are performing well and other clubs are coming wanting to take our players and give you the money you want, you always discuss it.

“We are never a club at the end of the highest in Europe, we never will be. But we are also not a selling club. If it’s necessary we have to. If players do not extend their contracts and are free, they have to go, they go.”

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Southampton have been one of the surprise packages in the Premier League this season, and they owe much of that to their squad players pushing the those in the starting line-up to continue to deliver consistent performances. Therefore, the Saints will not want to lose anyone from their squad in January who might upset the balance they have found.

However, as Hasenhuttl suggested, Southampton may not have the budget to carry a huge squad; and if some players may not readily extend their deals amid the potential to move elsewhere, they may have to be allowed to leave. Forster seems the closest player to a potential exit at the moment, but another goalkeeper may be needed to instantly take his place at the club.

Hasenhuttl’s message that Southampton are not a selling club should be a positive and suggests that they will not entertain the idea of allowing key performers to leave this window. Getting Ings in particular tied down to a new deal would be a major boost to everyone at the club ahead of the winter transfer window.