Heerenveen midfielder Joey Veerman has suggested that he was never likely to leave the Eredivisie outfit during the summer window despite being linked with Southampton, while speaking to Omrop Fryslan.
As it turned out, deadline day was much quieter than we might have expected at St Mary’s.
While Theo Walcott sealed an emotional return to a club he left as a bright-eyed 16-year-old back in 2006, Ralph Hasenhuttl and co could afford to put up their feet and watch the madness unfold at the Emirates and Old Trafford from the comfort of their sofas.
After months of speculation, Southampton finally replaced departed captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the final weekend of the window, paying £13 million for Brest ball-winner Ibrahima Diallo.
This means Veerman, a man identified as an alternative to the so-called ‘new N’Golo Kante’, faces another year of Eredivisie football at Heerenveen.
“I always enjoy hearing and reading (the speculation), but I don’t think much of it is true at the moment,” said the 21-year-old, who was linked via The Sun (30 September, page 51).
“An asking price of £18 million? Well, I can laugh about that, as long as it is not true. If it were true, then I would be here (at Heerenveen) anyway until my 25th birthday.”
Heerenveen assistant coach Jonny Jansen had previously made it clear that he felt Veerman had a lot to learn before he made a big-money move to Southampton.
Interestingly, Saints scout Piet Buter confirmed the club’s interest before agreeing with Jansen that the fresh-faced Dutchman still has much to improve (NH).
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