Alfonso Pedraza is perfect successor to Southampton’s Manchester City target Ryan Bertrand

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Ryan Bertand is understood to be open to a move to Manchester City – and former Leeds United winger Alfonso Pedraza could replace him at St Mary’s

Southampton should be commended for refusing to bow down to Virgil van Dijk’s demands in the summer. The £50 million-rated centre-back was so determined to leave St Mary’s in the summer that he handed in a transfer request to force a move, per the BBC.

The Saints, however, refused to back down and Van Dijk remains on the South Coast. This, then, feels like something of a watershed moment for a side that is aiming to shed it’s ‘stepping stone’ image.

Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger told The Guardian in August that the club had made a statement refusing to let Van Dijk follow in the footsteps of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Victor Wanyama and countless other former Saints players in jumping ship for supposedly bigger and better things.

The perennial overachievers, however, could soon face another test of their ambitions. The Mail reported earlier this month that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola could revisit his summer interest in left-back Ryan Bertrand to compensate for the long-term absence of Benjamin Mendy.

Another challenge

And the report adds that Bertrand would be receptive to a move. Southampton are understood to be unwilling to let the England international leave unless City make a ‘ludicrous bid’.

Considering that the Premier League leaders spent over £130 million alone on full-backs in the summer, don’t put that past them. Unlike Van Dijk, Bertrand does appear to be replaceable.

And it seems Southampton have already identified a player capable of stepping into his boots. The International Business Times report that The Saints have scouted Deportivo Alaves’ flying full-back Alfonso Pedraza along with Newcastle United in the opening weeks of the season.

The 21-year-old, who spent five months on loan at Leeds United last season, has been converted into a powerful and attack-minded full-back in the mould of Bertrand himself since joining Alaves on a temporary basis from Villarreal.

And while Southampton would rather not sell another star player, Pedraza is seven years youngster than Bertrand and has the potential to be even better than the England international.