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da roleta： According to the Daily Mail, Ryan Bertrand has attracted interest from both Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid with Southampton open to bids for the left-back.
What’s the deal, then?
The 29-year-old has two years left on his contract but, according to the Daily Mail, Saints are keen to move him on and give academy graduate full-back Matt Targett a consistent run in the starting XI.
Manchester City showed interest for Bertrand in 2017 and 2018, but both times Pep Guardiola’s side were told he was not for sale.
But now it appears the south coast side are open to offers to take him away from St Mary’s in what they are hoping will be a deal worth around £15million.
Selling Bertrand a risk Hasenhuttl should be reluctant to take
When you look at the statistics it is pretty damning that Bertrand is clearly not an improving player – which is not a surprise given he is nearly in his 30s.
The former Chelsea man failed to provide a single assist last season, compared to his previous three seasons where he had managed at least four in each campaign.
With that being said, players with the experience that Bertrand has – he has made appearances in 10 different Premier League seasons since the age of 21 – are imperative to a side who have stared relegation in the face for the past two seasons.
Hasenhuttl said in an interview with Bild last week that his transfer policy this summer was to sign players between the ages of 20 and 24, and he has already made one of those with the acquisition of Moussa Djenepo.
But with that comes the need for older heads who can use their knowledge and maturity to keep things on an even keel on the pitch and in the dressing room.
Southampton’s new man Moussa Djenepo divides opinion amongst fans in the video below…
It is a positive sign for Saints fans that Hasenhuttl is set on building a young, hungry squad.
But he should not get carried away with that narrative at the expense of seasoned pros such as Bertrand.