Ralph Hasenhuttl has become Southampton’s fourth manager in the last 18 months after agreeing on a two-and-a-half-year contract at the South coast club. The Austrian, who replaced the sacked Mark Hughes, is expected to be present in the stands for Saints’ clash away to Spurs on Wednesday, before making his debut in the dugout on Saturday in a crunch clash against relegation rivals Cardiff.
Hasenhuttl, formerly of RB Leipzig, will be looking to make an instant impact at the Premier League strugglers who have endured a rotten season to date.
Here are three players the new gaffer could target in the January transfer window:
Adam Lallana
Admittedly it’s a real long shot, but you never know…
Adam Lallana is currently in a Liverpool side that is challenging for domestic honours, and European silverware, meaning a move to a relegation-threatened club appears a highly unlikely outcome at this point in time.
Injuries and intense competition for places has limited the former Saints captain to just five Liverpool appearances this term, three in the Premier League. Should he struggle to forge his way back in the team, his head could potentially be turned by familiar surroundings.
Lallana helped lead Southampton to double promotions up to the top-flight, plus Football League trophy glory, before his acrimonious exit to Liverpool. Many Saints supporters were left infuriated by the manner of the switch, but all would be forgiven if he was to make a remarkable return to the south coast and help save his former side from the dreaded drop.
Gary Cahill
There’s likely to be a hectic scramble for Gary Cahill’s signature in the New Year. The Chelsea defender, 32, has only 21 minutes of Premier League action under Blues boss Maurizio Sarri, and could therefore seek an exit next month.
Cahill’s wealth of experience, leadership skills, and strong aerial ability means he would be a welcome addition in the heart of a Southampton backline which has conceded 26 goals this season, the fourth worst in the top-flight. His eye for the odd goal would also make him a useful presence in the opposition penalty area, while he could be available on the cheap, but whether he has the heart for a relegation dogfight is another matter entirely…
Yussuf Poulsen
Last January Saints broke the bank to sign Guido Carrillo, a monumental flop, who made only seven appearances, failing to score a single goal, before being shipped off to Leganes on-loan.
Danny Ings is the main man in attack, but after a bright start he’s been sidelined through injury. Manolo Gabbiadini and Charlie Austin have one league goal between them, Michael Obafemi is an exciting prospect, but a target man is needed.
Hasenhuttl could well decide to raid former club Leipzig for some attacking flair. Saints fans will certainly hope so as they’ve been lacking in this department for the majority of the season, scoring only 12 Premier League goals, the second sparsest in the division.
Step forward the physical forward Yussuf Poulsen, who has nine goals in 22 games this season. The 6’4” Dane has played in the Champions League and at the World Cup, where he scored Denmark’s winner against Peru. An adventurous target but one that harbours ambitions of playing in the Premier League, and this could be the perfect time to showcase his talent over on these shores.
Interest from West Ham, Southampton, Fulham and Aston Villa (Telegraph)
