Russell Martin will spend the international break reflecting on Southampton’s poor start to the season and trying to work out a way to turn things around.
Southampton’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal last time out was the sixth loss Russell Martin has suffered in seven Premier League games, with the draw against Ipswich Town the only point on the board.
Next up for Southampton is a St Mary’s clash against Leicester City and Martin may well feel the outcome could decide whether he is allowed to continue as manager.
It is fair to say a number of the Saints players are underperforming, with only a handful emerging from the opening two months of the season with their heads held high.
Martin will have to consider all possibilities as he tries to change Southampton’s fortunes and that could see a player the club were willing to move on in the summer come back into the fold.
Russell Martin should unleash Kamaldeen Sulemana at Southampton
That player is Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Southampton thought they had secured a loan-to-buy deal with Ajax to end Sulemana’s time at the club in the summer but FIFA deemed the paperwork to be completed too late to register the signing.
Therefore, Sulemana has remained at Southampton where he has been sidelined through injury since pre-season.
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Martin confirmed the Ghanaian winger should return after the current international break and Sulemana has now been spotted in training.
The left wing position has been a problem position for the Saints so far this season, with Ryan Fraser and Ben Brereton Diaz both struggling to impress and question marks about either’s prospects in the role moving forward.
With that in mind, Martin should strongly consider brining Sulemana back into the fold with many feeling the jet-heeled winger is actually better suited to the Premier League than the Championship.
Martin has shown door never closed at Southampton
On the face of it, it may seem unlikely Martin places his faith in a player who barely featured in the business end of last season and almost left the club in the summer.
However, the recent return of Paul Onuachu against all odds shows that Martin will keep the door open for any player willing to work hard and prove they deserve the opportunity.
The Saints broke their transfer record to sign Sulemana in January 2023 and he remains highly-rated in Europe despite the fact he is yet to live up to his potential.
The biggest frustration with Sulemana has been his lack of end product, with just two goals and three assists since signing and Martin spoke on the next step for the youngster after impressing in a 3-0 defeat against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season.
Martin said: “I thought he was great, but he should score. The next step for Kamaldeen is getting things right in the final third. Even when he had a run of games before he got injured, he only got three assists.”
“He has a lot of moments that should lead to more, he knows that. He is so talented. I thought he was great against Liverpool. He was so disciplined in his position and did a good job out of possession for the team. He had some amazing moments with the ball.”
Sulemana’s flair for the unexpected combined with his lightning pace mean he could be a real asset in the Premier League and Martin knows he needs to find a solution to the left wing position.