Southampton starlet Kazeem Olaigbe has seen a move to Belgian outfit Standard Liege collapse as he faces an uncertain future in the Championship.
Standard Liege are certainly making a name for themselves as a team willing to offer a fresh start English-based players on the lookout for a fresh start and regular first-team football.
Isaac Price moved to Belgium after growing frustrated with the lack of opportunities at Everton a few weeks ago. 20-year-old Romaine Mundle then followed in his footsteps; turning down a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur.
Hayao Kawabe joined from Wolves over the weekend too. The Japan international failed to make a single Old Gold appearance during 18 months contracted to the Molineux outfit.
Kazeem Olaigbe sees Southampton exit collapse
Kazeem Olaigbe will no longer become Standard’s fourth English import of the window however. Formerly of Anderlecht and capped by Belgium at U20 level, Olaigbe was due to sign a three-year deal with the option for a fourth at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium.
But, according to Het Belang van Limburg, Standard have now ‘decided to take other paths’; calling off negotiations with a forward who shone during a loan spell at fourth-tier Harrogate Town in the second half of 2022/23.
“I was very impressed with Kazeem,” Harrogate boss Simon Weaver told the Yorkshire Post; the stylish forward ending with three goals and five assists in 19 League One appearances.
“He got on the front foot. He was strong and showed great ability.”
It remains to be seen if new Saints boss Russell Martin is willing to offer Olaigbe a role in his first-team plans, or whether a player who joined Southampton back in 2019 still wants to leave having failed to make his senior bow for the South Coast club.
HBVL do report that – while Standard Liege have called off discussions – there is still interest in Olaigbe for a number of other Belgian Jupiler League sides.
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