Ralph Hasenhuttl has eight undroppable players at Southampton, including Chelsea target Kyle Walker-Peters, ahead of facing Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the season.
The Saints travel to north London to face Spurs to start the new Premier League campaign on Saturday, August 6. Hasenhuttl oversaw a 3-2 win on his side’s last trip to Tottenham in February, as the south coast outfit twice came from behind to depart with all three points.
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Southampton’s win over Tottenham helped contribute toward taking a 15th-place finish in the top-flight table. While Antonio Conte led his squad to fourth to seal their qualification for the Champions League, edging fierce rivals Arsenal to the final UEFA position by two points.
Only three of Southampton’s six summer signings are undroppable at Tottenham
St Mary’s chiefs have backed Hasenhuttl in the off-season to assemble a side Southampton believe can push up the table. Six fresh faces have so far walked through the door, headed by free agent Mateusz Lis from Altay and Gazin Bazunu of Manchester City for up to £15m.
Armel Bella-Kotchap has also joined the Saints from Bochum for £10m, Romeo Lavia exited Manchester City for up to £14m, Joe Aribo arrived from Rangers for up to £10m and Sekou Mara signed from Bordeaux for up to £11m. And their spending could still not be over, yet.
Although Manchester City have rebuffed a £16m bid for Liam Delap, per Fabrizio Romano, with Stoke City now the favourites. The Championship side have sought to sign the striker on loan, which is currently the only format the Etihad Stadium hierarchy want to consider.
Their resolve may also be put to the test with several Premier League teams interested in signing Walker-Peters. Hasenhuttl will be loath to see the full-back leave, with him one of eight undroppable Southampton players against Tottenham, with three summer signings.
Chelsea target Walker-Peters in Southampton’s eight undroppables at Tottenham
Chelsea are among the teams interested in signing Walker-Peters from Southampton, per Romano. The Blues have included the former Tottenham talent on their shortlist of right-back targets following internal discussions, two years after leaving north London for £12m.
Reports by The Athletic have also credited Arsenal and Manchester United with an interest in Walker-Peters’ availability to leave Southampton. Tottenham also hold a £30m option to re-sign the 25-year-old, who The Sun note Everton admire but face a likely £40m valuation.
Hasenhuttl will hope no side rises to meet Southampton’s asking price with Walker-Peters one of his undroppable players against Tottenham. The two-cap England international will be increasingly key in north London with Tino Livramento absent until possibly November.
Livramento suffered an ACL injury during the Saints’ 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in April. And Hasenhuttl explained, via the Daily Echo, earlier in August that he expects his £5m signing from Chelsea in 2021 to be out until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this winter.
Bazunu and Bella-Kotchap among Southampton’s undroppable summer signings
Bazunu and Bella-Kotchap will also be undroppable for Southampton at Tottenham among Hasenhuttl’s summer signings. The Austrian boss bought Bazunu from Manchester City for an initial £12m in June, after Fraser Forster joined Spurs as a free agent earlier that month.
Forster was the Saints’ No.1 for much of last term after replacing Alex McCarthy for three clean sheets in 19 appearances. He will now warm Tottenham’s bench, while Bazunu will step up from his loan spell at Portsmouth for 16 clean sheets over 44 League One games.
Bella-Kotchap will also expect to start in north London following his arrival from Bochum in June. The 20-year-old has enjoyed chances to impress Hasenhuttl during pre-season, after catching the south coast side’s attention through his 22 Bundesliga appearances last term.
Jan Bednarek and Mohammed Salisu will additionally expect starting calls in north London as part of Hasenhuttl’s five-man backline. But the Saints’ left-wing-back spot is up for grabs for Romain Perraud or Moussa Djenepo, having shared honours in their summer schedule.
Hasenhuttl has one midfield role up for grabs ahead of north London trip
Hasenhuttl also has one role up for grabs in midfield ahead of Southampton’s trip to north London on Saturday. Summer signing Aribo has already shown why he is undroppable with captain James Ward-Prowse after exiting Rangers with a strong solo goal against Villarreal.
The Nigeria international drove through the La Liga side to score in his trademark fashion, displaying quick feet and an ability to ride tackles. But Hasenhuttl must still decide on who partners Aribo and Ward-Prowse, with both Oriol Romeu and Lavia in contention to start.
Southampton paid Manchester City an initial £10m for Lavia to move to the south coast in July. The Citizens also obtained a £40m buy-back clause for the 18-year-old, who only had two senior appearances at the Etihad Stadium. Both also came in 2021/22 for 97 minutes.
Saints striker selection far from certain beyond Armstrong at Tottenham
Southampton’s striker selection is also far from certain beyond Adam Armstrong opening the action at Tottenham as an undroppable presence. The £15m summer 2021 arrival from Blackburn Rovers will expect to fill the void former Chelsea loanee Armando Broja has left.
Che Adams may also anticipate opening the action in north London, but his Saints future is in doubt. Alex Crook has claimed Southampton are prepared to listen to offers, while The Sun report Leeds are preparing a £10m bid for the 26-year-old the Saints signed for £15m.
Yet Hasenhuttl has admitted Mara still has to get up to speed before the 20-year-old starts to make a splash. “Sekou, like all the young new players coming to us, has to get adapted to the intensity of our game,” the Saints coach told Hampshire Live after facing Villarreal.
“You saw the same with Armando Broja last season, where it took him a minimum of three or four weeks until he knew what it was about… The game doesn’t start when you get the ball, the game starts when the opponent has it. This is the thing he has to learn.”
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