Southampton chairman Katharina Liebherr has said that none of their players will be leaving the club this window.
There have been a lot of column inches devoted to Southampton in the past few days regarding the departure of Nicola Cortese as Chairman. Many expected Mauricio Pochettino to follow but he has since committed himself, until the end of the season at least.
New Southampton chairman Katharina Liebherr has now said that none of their players will be leaving this month. Saints fans can breathe a sigh of relief after what has been a turbulent week.
The confusion surrounding Cortese’s resignation led many to believe that there could be more big departures this month.
There is no need for concern regarding the club though. Yes, Cortese was an influential figure, but his departure should not overshadow what has been a great season for the club. In fact what has been a great last 3 or 4 years for the club. They have gone from strength to strength, and they can continue to do so. Cortese built a strong club behind the scenes from when they were struggling with financial problems in League One. It is not a necessity to have him in place in order to carry on moving forward though.
Pochettino would be silly to leave his job. No one expected him to be this successful at St Mary’s, and he is in an exciting job. His style of play has given the club many admirers. Southampton have big plans for the future, and with more youngsters coming through the ranks each year, the future looks bright.
For once they are in a position capable of holding onto their prized assets. Unlike Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, they can now provide their star youngsters with regular Premier League football.
Players like James Ward-Prowse, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, and Adam Lallana are the foundations for the club. They are at the heart of a young and prosperous team. Other players like Daniel Osvaldo, Jay Rodriguez and Nathaniel Clyne are also important to the way the team plays.
“The club has no plans to sell any of the squad during the January transfer window,” said owner Liebherr.
“The manager and the team have my full support.”
There has been a lot of reported interested in Southampton’s players but fans will be happy with the statement coming out from Liebherr after a tough week for the club.
One hopes that Pochettino’s mind is on the job in hand, and not on his future. It would be a shame to see their great season fizzle out now.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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