Ralph Hasenhuttl was frustrated to miss out on £18 million Marc Guehi at Southampton with the Premier League strugglers also opting against making a move for Crystal Palace duo Ebere Eze and Michael Olise, according to The Athletic.
Exactly why the Saints decided not to bring in three players who would eventually end up at Selhurst Park is anyone’s guess.
You’d be forgiven for assuming that Guehi, Olise and Eze – three highly talented young players brimming with potential and re-sale value – would have been gobbled up with barely a second thought by a Southampton side who have made this sort of signing their trademark over the years.
According to The Athletic, Hasenhuttl wanted Guehi at St Mary’s in the summer of 2021. The former Chelsea starlet would not join fellow Stamford Bridge graduate Tino Livramento on the banks of the Solent, however. He instead sealed an £18 million switch to Crystal Palace, much to the Austrian’s frustration.
Southampton decided not to sign three Crystal Palace stars
Guehi, since joining the Eagles instead, has forced his way into the England squad. He has three caps so far and may be part of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad. In just over 12 months, he’s also doubled or potentially tripled his price-tag.
“For Marc Guehi, (he is enjoying) a fantastic development,” former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said recently. “It is impossible now to say, if we kept him, he would have been better, worse or been the same. Maybe he needed (to leave).”
The report adds that, in addition to Guehi, Southampton also ‘dismissed’ the chance to sign two more homegrown youngsters who would end up in South London. Eze and Olise both joined Crystal Palace after making their name in the Championship, at QPR and Reading respectively.
The irony, of course, is that both players would walk into Southampton’s starting XI these days; the Saints’ disappointing goal return undoubtedly by-product of a lack of creativity and cutting edge from the attacking midfield positions. Moi Elyounoussi and Stuart Armstrong, while hard-workers, are hardly prolific chance creators.
Hasenhuttl bit the bullet following Sunday’s 4-1 home defeat to a ruthless Newcastle United. Luton Town’s Nathan Jones is the number one choice to take his place. Luton have given him permission to speak to Southampton.
According to 90Min, ex-River Plate boss Marcelo Gallardo is another candidate. Ditto former Bayer Leverkusen coach Gerardo Seoane.
