Southampton may want to pay close attention to the progress of loanee Wesley Hoedt after reports of dressing room unpopularity emerged at Lazio.
The Dutch centre-back was not viewed as a part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s plans and consequentially joined the Serie A club on a season-long loan deal in October.
However, what was once an amicable, well-spirited loan move has now turned sour after the defender absorbed the bulk of criticism for his side’s 3-2 collapse against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals this week, with Sport Witness noting that the 26-year-old was responsible ‘for pretty much every goal conceded in the 3-2 loss’.
Gazzetta dello Sport’s print edition [via Sport Witness] has since issued some troubling reports from a Southampton perspective. Detailing the state of the Lazio social environment, Hoedt is said to have ‘become the target of insults, even very heavy ones’ from fans and team-mates alike. This comes in spite of an apologetic social media post and an acceptance of responsibility personally to his teammates.
Hoedt is keeping a fighting spirit in one consolation, however; he ‘did everything’ to return to Lazio, ‘admitting the mistakes of the past’, and ‘even after the flop against Atalanta, Wesley Hoedt will try to get up again’. [Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness]
The Dutch defender will now ‘be on the bench in Bergamo’, where Lazio face Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta once more, this time in a league fixture on Sunday.
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Hoedt’s situation seems to be not without a promise of things stabilising, but his opportunities could be cut short at Lazio.
The Serie A club retains an option to buy the player, and any toxic environment and poor performances could jeopardise Southampton’s ability to offload the Dutchman if they don’t see a future for him at St Mary’s.
