A Southampton summer signing has revealed that he could have actually signed for the club four years ago but then-manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was not keen on taking him to St Mary’s.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was the man in charge of Southampton for just under four years from his appointment in December 2018 to his sacking late in 2022.
A well-liked figure, Hasenhuttl appeared to run out of ideas towards the end of his tenure and was replaced by Nathan Jones in the start of a catalogue of errors that ended in relegation to the Championship.
That relegation saw Southampton hit the reset button and appoint Russell Martin as manager and the 38-year-old got the club promoted back to the top flight at the first attempt.
Martin has welcomed seven signings this summer in preparation for the Premier League and one of the new arrivals has admitted he wanted to make the move in 2020.
- READ MORE: What squad numbers Southampton’s seven new signings could wear amid Adam Lallana training hint
Adam Lallana reveals 2020 Ralph Hasenhuttl snub
Adam Lallana has secured a transfer steeped in nostalgia this summer returning as a free agent to the club at which he made his name ten years after leaving for Liverpool.
Now 36, Lallana will add vital experience to the Southampton ranks but still maintains real quality.
- READ MORE: Southampton should be excited that Adam Lallana still has plenty to offer after 2022 comments
The attacking midfielder has been speaking about his return to the Daily Echo, where he revealed he wanted to move back to St Mary’s when it became clear he would leave Liverpool in summer 2020 but Hasenhuttl did not seem keen on the deal.
Lallana explained: “When I left Liverpool in 2020, I wanted to come back.
“I was speaking to Martin Semmens, I was speaking to Kelvin Davis – but I’m not sure the manager (Ralph Hasenhuttl) wanted to do it, which is fair enough.
“I totally get it. I’m convinced I would have helped him, I would have helped. I feel like that’s what I’ve done wherever I’ve been my whole career.
“I’ve built great relationships with every manager I’ve had and helped them and helped the team, but I went on and had an amazing time at Brighton.”
Lallana would not have suited Hasenhuttl’s Southampton
Lallana proved at Brighton that he still had plenty to give despite leaving Liverpool as a 32-year-old.
The 34-cap England International played a number of roles under both Graham Potter and then Roberto De Zerbi and amassed 104 appearances for the club.
However, given his attributes are more centred around being on the ball, combined with historic injury problems, Hasenhuttl may well have been right to turn down a deal for Lallana.
- READ MORE: Southampton star Adam Lallana issues fitness update after missing pre-season clash v Eastleigh
Hasenhuttl’s footballing philosophy is concentrated around counter-pressing and high-energy. In the latter years of his career, it is unlikely Lallana would have been able to carry out these ideals effectively.
However, in Martin’s possession dominant side, Lallana could be set to thrive; albeit probably in a bit-part role.