Mason Holgate has struggled to get into the Southampton side since joining in the summer which has led to talk of the defender cutting his season-long loan from Everton short this month.
Holgate joined Southampton with the hope of playing regular football and rejuvenating his career after falling out of favour at Everton, but the 27-year-old has started just four Championship games for the Saints and has not featured at all since November 11th.
Young defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been outstanding since joining Russell Martin‘s side in the summer and Jan Bednarek has been incredibly reliable alongside him.
Now that Jack Stephens has returned from injury, it is difficult to envisage Holgate’s role increasing in the second half of the season which has led to speculation he will return to his parent club.
Holgate can also play right-back but, given Kyle Walker-Peters has been one of Southampton’s best players this season, the ex-England under-21 international is unlikely to get many opportunities in this role either.
Will Mason Holgate end Southampton loan?
When asked if Everton have opened talks with Southampton regarding cutting Holgate’s loan short, Toffees boss Sean Dyche said: “No. The player made it clear he wants that fresh feel about going somewhere else”.
Dyche added: “I know he hasn’t played as much as he’d have wanted but that’s part of a professional’s life. He’s a Southampton player at this current time.”
If Holgate and Southampton fans were hoping for more clarity from Saints boss Martin then they will be disappointed, as the ex-Swansea City boss was just as non-committal in his response when asked about the defender’s future on New Year’s Day.
Martin said: “I honestly don’t know (if he will be here at the end of the month). I don’t expect him to be happy with not playing much.
“If he wants to leave and go play somewhere else we probably have to respect that and we will be ready for that.”
Who could Southampton replace Holgate with?
Southampton have a very settled central defensive partnership in Harwood-Bellis and Bendarek, with Stephens providing competition for their starting spots. With that in mind, it is unlikely that the club will be looking to spend a fee on defensive cover which means another loan is highly likely.
The reason that signing Holgate on loan was attractive in the first place was his versatility, with the former West Brom man able to play centre-back, full-back and even in midfield as he has done at times for Everton. Therefore, it is likely Southampton will again target a versatile player who can cover multiple positions; especially given they are light in the full-back areas.
One player that fits this bill and has been linked with a move to St Mary’s a number of times in the past is Ben Johnson. The West Ham United youth product is primarily a right-back, but has also played at left-back and in central defence at times for the Hammers and at 23 will be looking to play regular football.
A loan deal at a Championship club chasing promotion could represent a really exciting proposition for Johnson and a successful loan spell could lead to a sustained Premier League career long-term, whether that be for Southampton or another club.
A slightly more left-field option could be Aston Villa’s Calum Chambers. Chambers came through Southampton’s youth academy and played 25 times for the Saints before moving to Arsenal in 2014. Now 28, Chambers has not played a minute of Premier League football this season and is very much out of favour under Unai Emery. Therefore, a return to the club where it all started has the potential to entice Chambers, and his ability to play centre-back, right-back and holding midfield mean he would also provide good cover for Martin’s side.
Another player who is yet to play a Premier League minute this season is Andrew Omobamidele of Nottingham Forest. The 21-year-old joined Forest from Norwich City for £20 million in the summer but shockingly has not played a minute in any competition for his new club, only making the bench twice. Omobamidele is primarily a centre-back but has played a couple of senior games at right-back and in midfield.
Whilst he would of course want to play every game, given his age and current situation at Forest, Omobamidele may be happy to bide his time. The man capped six times by Ireland will not cause any issues should he not be guaranteed to play every minute of every game, but with plenty of games left he could help to see Southampton through until the end of the season.