The Saints have successfully battled relegation from the Premier League over the last two seasons.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has outlined the team’s targets for the 2019-20 Premier League campaign and they appear to suggest at a season of consolidation following two difficult campaigns in a row.
The Saints narrowly survived relegation from the Premier League in the season before last and unfortunately they picked up from where they left off in 2018-19, which led to Mark Hughes’s departure.
The December arrival of Hasenhuttl proved an inspired move by the club as they slowly began improving and on 27 April they sealed a 3-3 draw with Bournemouth which ensured their top division status for another campaign.
However, 2018-19’s 16th-placed finish is the second season in a row in which the Saints have ranked in the league’s bottom five, with 2017-18 yielding a 17th-placed finish, while the seasons prior to that saw top-ten finishes.
While Southampton have certainly improved under Hasenhuttl, there was unhappiness amongst some fans as they did not sign any players in January and there were some nervy moments in the following months results-wise as the wear and tear of the 38-game season – plus cups – began taking its toll.
“The goal is to build a new team for the summer,” he told the club website. “To bring some new players in, sell some players and get a good restart after pre-season. To reach 40 points as soon as possible, that’s the target, and to be consistently taking points – one or three. If you lose, don’t take it as a loss, take it as something you learn from.
“Every defeat we’ve had so far we’ve said, ‘Ok, that means we learn and don’t do the mistake once again.’ If you can minimise losing the points after being in the lead or reduce it 50 per cent, I think we are in a very, very good position. That must also be a goal and a target for next year.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
