Leicester City are reported to be close to signing Jannik Vestergaard a deal that some Saints supporters would be very pleased about.

I have to say that I was flabbergasted when I read reports that Leicester are trying to sign Jannik Vestergaard and are bidding anywhere between £15 -20 million depending on whichever media source you believe.

The Dane who signed for Saints in the summer of 2018 for a fee of around £18 million has not exactly been a success at the club and in the past few months has barely played, indeed of the 62 Premier League games he could so far have been selected for he has appeared just 35 times.

In fairness to Vestergaard he is a big and strong central defender in the stopper mode rather than a ball player and he could have been a success here had he played alongside a more ball playing central defender, his early games alongside Wesley Hoedt were not the disaster some would have you believe, but Vestergaard was not in great form and it was only when Hoedt was dropped and subsequently sent out on loan that he started to play more regularly.

But his partnerships with Yoshida, Stephens and Bednarek were not successful for a variety of reasons, mainly that he needed an experienced ball playing defender alongside him and those three were none of these.

His return against Palace saw an initial mistake, but he recovered to have a decent game, but the truth is he needs the right partner and none are currently at the club.

With Saints looking to trim the squad and top heavy with central defenders including Hoedt out on loan, even if he were to leave now Vestergaard would not be missed.

So Saints would probably snap Leicester's hands off for £15 million, certainly many Saints supporters would although that is slightly unfair.

Jannik Vestergaard has done his best for Saints he has just had the misfortune to arrive at the club whilst it was in total disarray and not have the chance to play alongside a defensive partner that would complement him rather than just make his deficiencies even more glaring.

So if Jannik Vestergaard goes I will wish him good luck in the future, he tried his best, it was just not to be, we have no need to be uncharitable towards him.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 10:28 - Jan 23 I'll choose my words carefully...(in case any Leicester fans are reading...) What can possibly be wrong about having a 6' 6" defenderrf in your back line? Head and shoulders (not the shampoo) above everyone and who dominates the area. Maybe Saints problem is that, in our set-up - he is a square peg - (albeit a giant one) and at the moment our 6'1" Jack Stephens is a better selection than Jannick. , Also having paid £18 million and given him a long contract - on big salary - it's a bad deal for someone who can't get regular games...and a big strain on the club's finanaces. Perhaps Jannick will be a benefit to certain club(s) and some others might put in bids now that Leicester have shown their interest. So ....even if it is a small loss on the deal ...it's win-win situation for everyone. and if anyone else is interested in a CB, we also have this Hoedt fellow who also might .. ..well I mean after his suspension that is .....and maybe ... (OK guys ...How does that sound ?)

2

Saint4Life247 added 10:41 - Jan 23 No problem. Whats his address? I'll pick him up in about 20mins... Traffic permitting we should be in Leicester by about 2pm.... no need for petrol money Jannik
3

highfield49 added 11:09 - Jan 23 Quite happy to see him go but only if there's a replacement lined up. If Bednarek's injury is going to need recovery time then we are essentially left with Danso or Yoshi to partner Stephens. Strangely the reported interest from a top four club puts into perspective why we signed Vestergaard in the first place, maybe, as you say Nick, he just needs the right defensive partner to flourish.

3

SaintPaulVW added 11:39 - Jan 23 Brendon has got his hands on the chequebook again! I just think JV is more suited to a slower European league. Best of luck to him. Just hasn't happened at Saints and I can't see him being first choice here.
1

Number_58 added 12:27 - Jan 23 Strangely enough, this has happened before and it involved Saints. Dave McLaren let in nine against Saints in the Sixties and we signed him a year later. Don't think it ended that well as he only played 20 or so games for us.
1

Colburn added 13:15 - Jan 23 Why aren't they interested in Hoedt, he's available..
3

HythePeer added 13:16 - Jan 23 He would make my team: Mc Stephens Bedn Vest Bert Hoj Rome Armstron Djenpo Red Bouf Ings
-4

kenis added 13:57 - Jan 23 @HythePeer - always good to have a starting 12 rather than 11! JV to Leicester makes more sense than Saints fans might think because of the way Leicester play - I havent seen much of them so might be wrong, but thought they tended to sit deeper, invite pressure and then look to hit on counter. This means the back four/five and midfield tend to be deep and close together defending crosses and in numbers and rarely see them left one on one or two on two against the opposition. Saints play with a very high press which either leaves the back four playing a higher line and exposed one/two on one/two or with lots of space between the back line and the midfield. The way saints play now leaves JV exposed in a back four, but he'd be ideal in a different system - ie the system Hughes signed him for in the first place. Think it makes sense for them for all sorts of reasons: - Schmeichel at Leiscester - he will have given his opinion and be trusted - the fact they want the option to play with a back three -which is where hes played his best for saints - he'd be there as a back up to a first choice pairing - he's "premier league" ready in terms of experience (even if lacking match fitness due to recent lack of playing time) - so they know what he can do and cant, there's much less risk - There arent a lot of options out there - if there were we'd be linked with them - this is for them about ensuring they stay in the champions league places and dont drop off so can take a gamble - much lower wages than rest of their squad but not so low or expecting to walk into the team to be a problem Plus for him they play more games so higher likelihood to play, chance to play in europe if he backs himself to dislodge the first choice pairing or in a back three, likely a pay rise and/or longer contract and higher chance of league position / europe bonuses Works all round if Ralf doesnt fancy him for our system. If he does not need to sell

4

bstokesaint added 19:13 - Jan 23 He was a top defender in the Bundesliga, but he’s very clearly not in the mould of player we need. Therefore this seems like a great deal for both sides.
1

underweststand added 19:51 - Jan 23 A note to Number 58. yes I recall that match. we best Wolves 9-3 (Sept. 1965). MacLaren almost got MoM because he saved so many more. Someone calculated that we might have reached 20 on another day, but it proved to be one of his better games - even when conceding 9. We signed him as emergency keeper (after Campbell Forsyth broke his leg) but it was not a good piece of business. He played in 22 games that season and the defence conceded ..wait for ir ...56 goals in that period . In desperation, we signed Eric Martin which was a much better deal in the longer term. .

1

HythePeer added 22:58 - Jan 23 Kenis Haha! Well done! Somebody reads my nonsense?! You win a cookie!
-1

HythePeer added 22:58 - Jan 23 Kenis Haha! Well done! Somebody reads my nonsense?! You win a cookie!
-1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Sunderland Polls