Well, you win some and you lose some.
Just days after chief executive Martin Semmens insisted Danny Ings would, after all, commit his future to Southampton, the Saints appear to be on the verge of losing their other England international contract rebel.
According to Goal, Ryan Bertrand continues to resist Southampton’s attempts to extend his £70,000-a-week deal, with only two months remaining until the veteran left-back becomes a free agent.
Not put off by the fact he’ll turn 32 in August, Arsenal are back in for a player they made an offer for during the January transfer window.
Goal believes Bertrand, who is also an option for Manchester City and AC Milan, has been identified as competition for Kieran Tierney at the Emirates.
And while the cynics will no doubt point to Bertrand’s age – not to mention the fact the last of his 19 international caps came in 2017 – Southampton’s long-serving left-back would bring plenty of experience and no shortage of attacking quality to the Emirates.
Replacing him will be easier said than done too – particularly as Southampton’s recent recruitment record isn’t exactly sparkling.
Here’s what some Saints fans had to say on Twitter about the situation:
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