Wesley Hoedt has spoken of his frustrations at St Mary's and that the club he is currently on loan with Royal Antwerp have an option to buy.
Wesley Hoedt may have not been the most popular player with some Saints fans, but even they would agree that he was not given a chance under Wesley Hoedt and that at times we could have done with trying him out.
He has now spoken in Belgium to Het Nieuwsblad about his treatment by Ralph Hasenhuttl and where his future lies going forward.
Speaking about his time at Saints Hoedt said:
"Well, a lot of things happened there. That trainer sent me away. I went to Celta Vigo for six months. When I returned, I was so fit that I was at the top of all the lists in the tests,”
"He came to tell me that he was impressed and that I deserved a second chance. But then I responded: What do you mean, second chance? I have never had a first chance with you. I never played under him for a minute."
"Now, I have shown myself in preparation for eight weeks — very well trained and played — but in the end it was again: ‘We don’t need you, you can go’."
"Anyway, I am still under contract, so I am not going to start a mud fight. The Southampton chapter is as good as closed to me. That trainer is still there. Even after they were knocked 9-0 by Leicester, he was allowed to stay, so yes…”
When Antwerp took the player on loan at the start of the season, they inserted an option to make his transfer permanent for €8m, significantly less than Saints paid for the defender, perhaps suggesting that at least under Hasenhuttl there was no way back.
The Belgian newspaper asked Hoedt if he will continue at Antwerp beyond this season.
"I do not know. Antwerp did try hard to get me. I am very grateful for that and I try to pay it back in the field. But we’ll see in about four months. It is now too early to make statements about this. Perform first. "
"I am only here for a year, but that is definitely a goal: to leave Antwerp with a European ticket.”
"We all know what my conditions are … Well, I read it with you, I don’t bring it out (grins), but for Antwerp it’s about serious amounts. Since European football is very attractive financially, it can therefore help to keep me. I am also having a good time here, as I have stated on several occasions."
"But at the same time, it’s my ambition to return to a better league. That seems logical and not a strange statement. I also think I belong at that level.”
"Probably not at Southampton, though."
So we have heard Wesley Hoedt's version and there is probably a little more than meets the eye here, from the low transfer fee we are asking it seems that we want to get his salary off the books, but he is not alone in that with the likes of Carrillo, Lemina, Forster & Elyounoussi all on big salaries and all out on loan.
The message from him is clear though, he is on big money here, far more than he would usually get from Antwerp, if they are to buy him then they need to qualify for Europe otherwise he will be back to St Mary's in the summer and he and indeed Saints will be back to square one.
Personally I rated Hoedt as a player, yes he had his faults, but I would rather have had him in our central defence this season than most of those who have played there.
He has the potential to reach high standards, he has not done that consistently yet and Saints could well in the future rue letting him go, but it seems there will be no way back at St Mary's under the current manager.