When Nathan Jones fielded a three-man defence during his Southampton managerial debut against Liverpool last weekend, while leaving Lyanco on the bench, it certainly felt like the beginning of the end for a player who arrived at St Mary’s for a cool £7 million just 15 months ago.
Mohammed Salisu, Armel Bella-Kotchap and Duje Caleta-Car started at the heart of Jones’ defence during that 3-1 defeat at Anfield. And the implication for Lyanco could hardly have been clearer; he was, and still very much remains, Southampton’s fourth-choice centre-half.
If the ex-Torino colossus was hoping Ralph Hasenhuttl’s departure would work to his benefit, it seems he was mistaken.
Lyanco, according to his agent and father, is now considering a January departure from St Mary’s. After starting just two games in his favoured centre-half position during the current campaign (both of those appearances coming against lower-league opposition in the EFL Cup), his place among the substitutes at Liverpool on Saturday might just have been the final straw.
“I spoke with him about some clubs,” agent Marcelo Vojnovic says of a man who, since the start of 2021/22, has started just 11 top-flight games.
“Including Vasco da Gama. He told me to look at (a move back to Brazil) with very good eyes. Of course, without ruling out other clubs that are interested in him.”
Former Leeds United target Lyanco could leave Southampton already
According to Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola, newly-promoted Vasco are likely to face competition from Rio rivals Botafogo.
“You can’t say that it’s an impossible negotiation (for Botafogo or Vasco),” Nicola explains. “Or an extremely expensive one for a 25-year-old player with a lot of experience abroad.”
Lyanco is under contract until 2025 at Southampton. But the Saints may decide to cut their losses; knowing that a profit on their £7 million man is highly unlikely.
Per Torino Granata, Leeds United showed an interest around 12 months before Lyanco put pen to paper on the South Coast. The Yorkshire giants, then preparing for their first season back in the big time under Marcelo Bielsa, eventually cooled their interest, bringing in Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad instead.
Two years on, the jury remains out on Llorente; occasionally impenetrable but often error-prone. There is, however, no suggestion that Leeds have given up on the Spaniard just yet. You same probably can’t say the same of Southampton and Lyanco.
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