Mark Hughes is back in management at Southampton, and will be counting on a player who he tried to sign for Stoke.
The Saints fired Mauricio Pellegrino earlier this week after a terrible run of form which has left them battling relegation.
Hughes lost his job at Stoke City a couple of months earlier and now has a shot at personal redemption – and will be glad to call on a player who he once wanted to sign.
That is winger Nathan Redmond, who joined Southampton from Norwich City in 2016.
Hughes had his eye on the winger two years earlier, admitting his desire to sign Redmond when he was just 20.
Speaking to Sky Sports in 2014, Hughes said: “There is interest there – he’s a good young player and a player we would like.
“But he’s not our player, he’s Norwich’s player and they are obviously well within their rights to retain him. He’s under contract to them and there is nothing moving at the moment. So we’ll just have to bide our time maybe.”
Bide his time Hughes did, with Southampton winning the race two years later. Now four years after Hughes’ comments, he has an unexpected chance to manage Redmond finally.
Redmond has been a regular for the Saints this season but is out of form.
He has not scored a single goal this campaign after netting seven last year under Claude Puel, although his assists have moved from one in 2016/17 to three this year.
The last of Redmond’s three assists came on December 3 and he could do with fresh impetus and new coaching to get him back to his best and raise his confidence.
Hughes is already a fan of his and this can only help. If Redmond can start making a meaningful impact for the Saints again, then Southampton might just have a chance of survival.
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