Peirre Emile Hojbjerg is wasting no time in talking to the press in his new found status as Spurs number 1 target of the summer, but will it be just 90 minutes for the Danish International at St Mary's or a bit less than that.

Speaking in the media Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has insisted that coming up against Southampton with Tottenham Hotspur early in the new season will be just like any other game.

He will return to St Mary's in only the 2nd fixture of the upcoming Premier League season, but there will be no vitriolic abuse hurled from the stands at him from those Saints supporters who love to hate those who have left, nor will there be the usual abuse from the visitors section crowing about how they have stolen him from us, there will just be the Echo of the players voices around an empty stadium, perhaps a fitting return for a player who although a good servant over 4 years, rarely got the fans out of their seats and acclaiming him.

The midfielder has played down the significance and told Tottenham’ Hotspurs official website:

“It’s 90 minutes of football, like any other game.

“As a whole club, we’re looking forward to the Premier League starting again and showing what we’re all about, showing what we want to achieve, and wasting no time.”

But will it be 90 minutes for Hojbjerg? will he get a place in the starting line up, if he does will he actually see out the entire game ?

A year ago he couldn't make the starting line up for Saints game at Burnley on the opening day, coming on for the last 17 minutes as sub, after the restart Ralph Hasenhuttl used him sparingly and although this was partly due to the players desire to leave and the manager's thinking that totally committed players are better than those who are not, the fact was we looked a better balanced side without him.

The Danish international also took time to praise the environment at the club, although what else is he going to say given he is speaking to Spurs own media.

I did have to laugh at the sentiments he expressed about Spurs as a club though.

“There’s an environment where everyone wants to be better, everyone wants to have no excuses, as a human being, as a sportsman, as a footballer, it’s a great place to be.”

I had to have a big laugh at this statement, did Hojbjerg actually say this or is this Spurs writing the script for him, Jose Mourinho is as arrogant as it comes, he has no interest in making his players better human being's and to be honest nor do Daniel Levy or the Spurs hierarchy, they are interested in only one thing, results on the pitch, not personal development.

Saints fans will watch Hojbjerg's time at Spurs with interest, there are some who rate him and others that don't, certainly most never saw him as being a top target for Spurs or any other club with Champions League aspirations, will he be the type of player who will thrive with better players around him, or will be be one that is overshadowed.

We wait and see and although we hope his return to St Mary's is an unhappy one, personally I bear him no animosity and wish him well and as a human being I am sure that the player himself will appreciate Saints fans wishing us well.

Photo: Action Images

perazi added 09:27 - Aug 28 Why are you continuing to beat up a story about PEH. He gave four good years to the Club - proved to be a solid performer, and the Club has sold him in his final year of contract for about 18 million pounds. It's as close to a win/win for both Clubs as you could script. In return, we got to have a good look at KWP and now have him signed up with a 6 million pound or so net gain. Let it be.

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JGH added 09:47 - Aug 28 Completely agree perazi - good luck to him but frankly who cares how much her plays for Spurs. If you haven't got anything interesting to write it is absolutely fine to not write anything at all.
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SonicBoom added 09:52 - Aug 28 Whenever I think of Hojbjerg I can't help thinking of Jim Carrie in Dumb and Dumber
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RedandWight added 11:14 - Aug 28 Perazi, I think you are pretty much spot on! a win win all round, now lets talk Saints players
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A1079 added 11:55 - Aug 28 Perazi is completely correct. I am not sure what is to be gained by generating an atmosphere of bitterness against Hojberg. He was not a bad player for us, but he could have been better, but on the whole I always felt he fought for the club and did his best even if his best was not always great, but often in an average to poor team he seemed to take the fight. He came across well in interviews and though he made a decision to leave, I think he has handled his departure with dignity unlike some previously. Yes, he made positive comments about his new club - what did you expect him to do? In the end I did not mind whether or stayed or left. I was indifferent and plegmatic about his departure but I have no reason to up the ante against him. I dislike Spurs as a club, I always have done no matter who has managed them, though I concede that historically they have produced some entertaining teams and football. It will be sods law that Hojberg will score against us because that sort of thing often happens when players return and being our first home game the timing is probably not great as he will want to show Spurs what they have purchased, but there is a much bigger picture and objective than one player or one team. We move on, as does Hojberg and good luck to him and even better luck to us.

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SaintBrock added 13:07 - Aug 28 Who he? Never could spell his name so easily forgotten.
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schatfield added 13:21 - Aug 28 Nothing wrong with his comment, he just wants to test himself at a different club. He won't be the last. He gave us 4 years and we turned a profit.
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NewburySaint added 20:54 - Aug 28 A1079, he is never going to score against us!
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Chesham_Saint added 11:30 - Aug 29 I don’t know why anyone is having a pop at Nick on this. He has to write something and given the early fixture against Spurs it’s not unreasonable to speculate about PEH. As Nick says I hope he has a bad game against us, it’s nothing personal, just business. Other than that, I have nothing against him, he was a solid payer and now he’s gone and good luck to him.

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Flamingbankers added 12:27 - Aug 29 Hojbjerg - an average Prem midfielder, strange that Spurs should want him as I rate Wanyama a better player.Maybe Spurs just can't bare Saints having reasonable footballers and it's an easy place to poach. Anyway, pretty good deal for us all in all. Although I don't yet rate KWP as such a great player as other Saints fans - I don't think his defending's up to the mark yet. KWP and Valery - Ralph needs to work a bit of magic there.

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woolstonsaint17 added 13:34 - Aug 30 Totally agree as with all the top six and soon to be 7 with Leeds coming up . They have already tried to unsettle Che Adams almost since the time hearrived with us. When theycouldnot gethim they went for jean kevin Augustine who it was well known that ralph had worked with him at Liepzig and it was saidwe wanted him here. Isit not coincidental that leeds went to get him with loan and the obligation for £18m to buy if they get promoted. Iknew this to be true but Ithought I would check just to make sure of facts but it seemsI was correct as RB are saying they may take out a law suit for that money. Bielsa we know knew of Ralphas a good coach and if you look at there dealings you will see that in a story if they wanted Che they could not have him because he had a contract started only just and we said no but that did not stop them starting to harrass for him through the media. This was led by a platform which is trying to invade UK football just now called the Atheltic. It is they who are offering jobs to long term football reporters who worked for our local dailies. so 1. Leeds want Che Adams 2. Che Adams came to Southampton for 15m on a 5-year contract 3. The story was first reported by Phil Hay of the Athletic which drove the story and did not let it collapse 4. Jean Kevin Augustin was a transfer target of ralph's, who he trained at Leipzig but did not exactly admit it to the press in true Southampton fashion. 5. Leeds got knocked back so went after what was said to be our target in a loan with an obligation to buy if they got promoted. 6. Leeds got promoted but due to COVID and contract extensions, Leeds don't want that purchase. 7. Leeds have still mentioned Che again in this window. 8. Reported in the mail that Leeds don't want him and are set for an £18m lawsuit for breach of contract. 9. ? did Leeds just go for Agustin to weaken our resolve? 10. Did the press influence it and actively drive it with the Americans leading? 11. If not produced because of actively influencing sport specifically the premier league why was it first only produced in 2016? 12. If the athletic is described as an ANOMALY BASED PUBLICATION. Which means in this instance subscription-based rather than advertizing how is it making its ultimate profit and is it related to this Anomaly? 13. If so how and is it relevant to the jean Agustin and Southampton story 10. Did

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woolstonsaint17 added 13:48 - Aug 30 Please ignore the comment above it was not edited. Have now done it on Grammarly. It contains speculation which can all be checked. Totally agree as with all the top six and soon to be 7 with Leeds coming up. They have already tried to unsettle Che Adams almost since the time he arrived with us. When they could not get him they went for jean Kevin Augustine who it was well known that ralph had worked with him at Leipzig and it was said we wanted him here. Is it not coincidental that Leeds went to get him with a loan and the obligation for £18m to buy if they get promoted. I knew this to be true but I thought I would check just to make sure of facts but it seems I was correct as RB are saying they may take out a lawsuit for that money. Bielsa we know knew of Ralphas a good coach and if you look at there dealings you will see that in a story if they wanted Che they could not have him because he had a contract started only just and we said no but that did not stop them starting to harass for him through the media. This was led by a platform which is trying to invade UK football just now called the Atheltic. It is they who are offering jobs to long term football reporters who worked for our local dailies. so 1. Leeds want Che Adams 2. Che Adams came to Southampton for 15m on a 5-year contract 3. The story was first reported by Phil Hay of the Athletic which drove the story and did not let it collapse 4. Jean Kevin Augustin was a transfer target of ralph's, who he trained at Leipzig but did not exactly admit it to the press in true Southampton fashion. 5. Leeds got knocked back so went after what was said to be our target in a loan with an obligation to buy if they got promoted. 6. Leeds got promoted but due to COVID and contract extensions, Leeds don't want that purchase. 7. Leeds have still mentioned Che again in this window. 8. Reported in the mail that Leeds don't want him and are set for an £18m lawsuit for breach of contract. 9. ? did Leeds just go for Agustin to weaken our resolve? 10. Did the press influence it and actively drive it with the Americans leading? 11. If not produced because of actively influencing sport specifically the premier league why was it first only produced in 2016? 12. If the athletic is described as an ANOMALY BASED PUBLICATION. Which means in this instance subscription-based rather than advertizing how is it making its ultimate profit and is it related to this Anomaly? 13. If so how and is it relevant to the jean Agustin and Southampton story

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