According to reports in Poland Jan Bednarek's time at Southampton is seemingly coming to an end if journalists in his native Poland are correct, what that means is debatable, but in simple terms they hint he doesn't want to be at St Mary's anymore.

Polish journalist Tomasz WÅ‚odarczyk has been speaking to media outlet Meczyki.pl program Okno Transferowe and the news is not pleasing for Saints supporters.

WÅ‚odarczyk claims the player’s time at Southampton is ‘slowly coming to an end’, even though he has three years left on his contract at St Mary’s Stadium and that he is getting closer to Aston Villa.

This all sounds like a man who wants out of a marriage, or in this case his relationship with Southampton Football Club.

This is no surprise, a year ago Bednarek returned from the European Championships with Poland and he seemed a different person, his head had been turned, he had seen the bright lights of European competition and saw the grass as being greener on the other side.

He barely played in the opening fixtures of last season and he has found himself substituted in the game against Leeds and an unused substitute in the win over Leicester City, he looked a player unhappy with his lot and it seems he has fallen out of love with Saints and want's to trade up to something he sees as glamorous.

We have seen it before at St Mary's, before Jose Fonte had even arrived back to pre season training with Saints after winning Euro 2016 with Portugal, he was already being lined up for a deal with Manchester United by his agent, despite not long having signed a new deal with Saints and expressing his wishes to stay with the club to the end of his career.

That initially didn't end well for both Saints or the player, he could have stayed in the January window and if he had played in the League Cup Final we might well have won, but he preferred to join West Ham for some reason, he failed there and had an aborted time in China, after a wasted year he joined Lille and has had a decent few years.

So Jan Bednarek is going down the same route, he wants a divorce, but like Fonte he is finding that all the big name club's his agent has promised him fail to materialise and now with only a week of the transfer window left he is facing being left on the shelf.

From a Saints perspective they would be quite happy to be shot of him, but with 3 years left on his contract they are in a strong position, they want the going rate and no more or no less, but the going rate is £20 million and no one seems to be willing to pay that.

Certainly not Aston Villa who with an injury to their new signing in the centre half position likely to keep him out for a season, want to take Bednarek on a season long loan, they don't see him as a long term option.

Saints would prefer to get him off the payroll, but there could be a compromise, Tyrone Mings is out of favour at Villa, perhaps a loan deal swap would suit both clubs and indeed both players.

Certainly Tomasz WÅ‚odarczyk feels that Villa Park is going be his destination, he claims the Southampton player is ‘getting closer’ to Aston Villa and that he is betting on the player joining the club.

Either way Saints will not want a drawn out end to a once good relationship that has gone sour, but will be looking for a swift resolution, however they are not going to do it on the cheap.

Photo: Action Images

SaintPaulVW added 11:38 - Aug 25 Agree. Sarky clapping of the crowd last year was probably the end Time to be grown ups, including Villa. Make us a fair offer and we all move on.
2

highfield49 added 12:00 - Aug 25 I've got no problem with Bednarek going wherever he wants, for a realistic fee, but see no benefit in a swap deal for Mings. As much as you keep banging the drum for your experienced, leader, mentor, high waged, clapped out, pension funding central defender Nick, what's wrong with the defenders we've got who want to play for the club? I'm not the first, and hopefully wont be the last, supporter to suggest that our defensive errors need to be overcome by hard work, with good coaches, on the training ground. Having Mings, Vertonghen or others out on the pitch mentoring defenders in the fine art of being wise after the event isn't the way forward.

4

DPeps added 13:02 - Aug 25 If he does go he'll be no great loss. I appreciate what he's done but he's not been improving for a while, and he isn't the solution to our defensive problems
3

DorsetIan added 13:23 - Aug 25 Both Romeu and Bednarek have seen Saints through some very difficult times. Romeu I think is 'on the turn' and now is probably the perfect time for him to leave us. And for a long time, Bednarek was our only reliable centre back. He's made mistakes but overall he's been solid and a really good buy. Very best of luck to both of them.
4

geezershoong1 added 16:32 - Aug 25 The first picture sums it up very well - two yards behind and struggling.
0

Block8 added 17:09 - Aug 25 Bednarek was our best defender last season, the stats prove that but if he genuinely doesn't want to be here, then let him go. He struggled in the system Ralph had been playing but may not be so exposed with how we play currently. He is not highly paid (by PL standards) and I'd probably rather see Jack go than Jan? Also and I've said it many times our issues at the back were caused by the system we were using and lack of good coaching to get the team and I include the defensive midfielders to adapt to this system. He does seem to be the scapegoat for our defensive woes, whether he is responsible for the errors or not. Leeds is the prime example of this fact, with Salisu at fault for both goals.

0

underweststand added 06:28 - Aug 26 Whether we like him or not, or aspects of his game are criticised, or he can't take a little stick from fans aren't really the point. If he really wants to go ???....then it's pointless to keep him and yet not play him regularly. Having a discontented player in the matchday squad is bad decision. He's DAJFU on many occasions, and we've certainly had our money's worth from him. He's a regular international for Poland (42 caps) and he will want /need game time if he is to hold his place in their squad. IF he goes, we'll need a good replacement and a suitable move might be a good solution for all concerned.

0

GRIM added 16:04 - Aug 26 Agreed, if JB goes we need a replacement. Have I missed something because we were hot on the trail of Levi Colwell at Chelsea but that's gone cold. He's probably going to be surplus to Chelsea's requirements if they get a new centre back. Levi Colwell would be a good investment & a step up on JB. Get him & get Ramos & it will have been a good transfer window. But make sure we keep Che. It would give us a much bigger squad (needed now because of the 5 subs) and plenty of players with a good profitable sell on value. This system of the transfer window going on a month into the new season is crazy. I know why we have this period of transfer window, but its a nonsense. All deals should done before the season starts so that managers know what they've got to work with. Who'd be a Football Manager, hmm.

0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Sunderland Polls