A Southampton player who has never played for the club despite signing in 2022 has spoken on his future ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was the Southampton manager in the summer of 2022, two-and-a-half years into what what ended up being close to four years in charge of the club.
The Austrian coach had to manage a tight budget for almost the entirety of his time at St Mary’s and, with this in mind, a deal for out of contract Mateusz Lis made sense two years ago.
Goalkeeper Lis had shown promise at Turkish club Altay and Southampton acted to sign the 25-year-old.
However, having failed to make a single appearance for the Saints – and after spending the last two seasons on loan – Lis has opened up where he sees his future.
Mateusz Lis keen to return to Southampton sister club Goztepe
After spending the 2022/23 season on loan at French club Troyes, Lis spent last season in Turkey as he helped Southampton’s sister club Goztepe to promotion to the top flight.
Southampton and Goztepe are two of three clubs majority owned by Sport Republic, with French club Valenciennes the third.
Sport Republic have made it clear they want to explore the potential to trade more between their three clubs in the future and Lis has been an example of that.
- READ MORE: Sport Republic could now send ‘brilliant’ Southampton player to join Mateusz Lis at Goztepe
With 18 clean sheets in 31 games in Turkey’s second tier last season, some fans have questioned whether Russell Martin could cast his eye over the Polish stopper this summer with Gavin Bazunu set to miss the start of next season with an achilles injury.
However, Lis himself has now explained that he wants this summer, with Turkish news outlet Haber Ekspres reporting that the 27-year-old has told Goztepe: “I want to continue here.”
Will Lis ever get Southampton chance?
Lis has a contract at Southampton until 2027 but there is a very real possibility he will never make a competitive appearance for the club.
Upon the goalkeeper’s arrival in 2022, Hasenhuttl told the official club website: “Mateusz is a player who has a lot of the right attributes we look for in a goalkeeper, and still with his best years ahead of him.
“Of course, it was a priority for us to strengthen this department in the summer, and Mateusz is an important addition who we hope will be able to help us in the future.”
Perhaps there is a long-term plan for Lis at the club, but it looks increasingly likely he will continue to serve Sport Republic through loans to Goztepe rather than directly benefitting Southampton; at least for the foreseeable future.
Whilst 27 is still relatively young for a goalkeeper, he may just be running out of time to make the grade at Southampton.