It has been on the cards for a few weeks now, but it has been confirmed that Nathan Redmond has left Southampton Football Club after 6 seasons to join Turkish outfit BeÅŸiktaÅŸ, I like most Saints fans wish him all the best for his future.
Nathan Redmond for a reason that cannot quite be fathomed, never seemed to be popular with a section of Saints support, yet it is hard to fathom just why some seemed to take such a dislike to him, certainly in his first season he did well playing in 37 League games and scoring 7 goals, a total that few have managed in a Premier League season for the club in his time here, he scored a vital winner in the League cup semi final first leg that year and appeared in the League cup final.
Perhaps it was the following season that some took against him, yes it wasn't his best season, but he was far from the worst performer in a poor team, but it was Redmond who got the most stick.
Remaining an integral part of the squad he shone in the 2018/19 campaign, finishing the season as top goal scorer across all competitions as well as claiming both the Players’ Player and Fans’ Player of the Season accolades, something his detractors seem to forget.
Since then he has been a regular performer in the League and although he perhaps did not score as many as he would have hoped, he was one of chief providers of assists as was shown a year ago when he led the late comeback at Newcastle.
So the news that he will depart for BeÅŸiktaÅŸ is sad not just because when a player leaves Saints after so many games played and also some vital goals and performances, it is sad that some will not be very charitable.
As I said, sometimes his standards dropped and he was not as consistent as we would have liked, but he was far from the worst player in any of the teams he played in for Southampton FC.
He also is one of the few Saints players who can say they played in a major cup final for the club as well as score against the old enemy in a win at Fratton Park.
So good luck Nathan Redmond, I am sure that there will be messages all over the internet where people will make remarks such as "I will drive him there myself" or "Stole a wage" as if they are the first person to make such a funny remark.
But the majority will wish him well and thank him for the contribution he made to the club.