Stuart Armstrong was linked with a potential loan move away from Southampton earlier this month.
It was reported by The Sun on Sunday (18/8; page 61) earlier this month that Stuart Armstrong could be interested in seeking a loan move away from Southampton with the midfielder struggling to force his way into Ralph Hasenhuttl’s plans.
At that stage of the campaign, Armstrong had been left out of the Saints matchday squad for their opening day trip to Burnley and had come off the bench for the final 22 minutes against Liverpool.
Since then, the Scotland international has played just six more minutes across the club’s next two games.
And after Hasenhuttl’s latest selection decision, it is perhaps fair to say that Armstrong could end up even more determined to consider his future if he is indeed already interested in a potential loan move.
The Carabao Cup second round tie with Fulham presented Hasenhuttl with the chance to make a number of changes. And yet, Armstrong remained an unused substitute for the entire game at Craven Cottage.
Hasenhuttl picked a strong side against the Championship outfit, but Armstrong is hardly a fringe player – he scored a brace at the same ground last season – and it would not have been a gamble to pick the 27-year-old.
It would not be a big surprise at all if Armstrong remained at St Mary’s after all of the transfer deadlines around Europe passed. The Saints may not have as much depth as Hasenhuttl would like, and his inclusion on the bench in recent weeks suggests that the club believe that he has a role to play this season.
But if he was already weighing up his options as the report suggested, he may now have even more concerns after not featuring against the Cottagers.
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