Southampton look set to let the 27-year-old go – but could he follow Ross Wilson to Rangers?
There is a major reason why Rangers are so determined to appoint Ross Wilson, the brains behind Southampton’s rapid and relentless rise, as their new Director of Football, as reported by the Daily Record.
The 34-year-old Director of Recruitment and Scouting is a major reason why the Saints have constantly recovered from the loss of key players, using his nous and connections to replace them with affordable, under-the-radar talents before selling them on for a profit.
In the harsh financial world of Scottish football, such an approach can reap rewards. It certainly has at Celtic, a side built from the sales of Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Ledley, Gary Hooper and co.
And while it is impossible to imagine the likes of Dusan Tadic and Charlie Austin following Wilson to Ibrox, there is one man that could improve the club’s first team options without risking another administration.
Cuco Martina may not have stamped his authority on the first-team at St Mary’s, featuring in just 24 Premier League games since the start of last season, but he is nonetheless a solid understudy for first-choice Cedric Soares.
The fact that Claude Puel started him in all but one of the Saints’ Europa League fixtures this season speaks volumes about his dependability. The 27-year-old is a decent one-on-one defender, an excellent crosser of the ball and, crucially, out of contract at the end of the season.
With Rangers fans still uncertain about the worth of James Tavernier, Martina could be a very astute, and much needed, upgrade.
And thus the Wilson regime could begin.
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