After sacking Mark Hughes earlier this month, Southampton didn’t waste much time in appointing his successor. Ralph Hasenhuttl has been brought on board to oversee a turnaround in fortunes and his first test will be on the road away at Cardiff City.
The Austrian mastermind is known for his excellent work with FC Ingolstadt and RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga and is tipped to make a lot of changes to this Southampton squad in the upcoming January transfer window.
In this article, we will talk about three Bundesliga players the Saints should target under Hasenhuttl next month.
Diego Demme
Lack of substance in midfield has been an issue for Southampton this season and Hasenhuttl will certainly be aware of it. Thus, the Austrian could target Diego Demme of RB Leipzig, with whom he shared a healthy relationship during their time together at Leipzig.
Demme is an industrious midfielder, who is known for his work-rate in the middle of the pitch. His tenacity and tackling prowess also make him an excellent presser of the ball – which could be important in Hasenhuttl’s high-pressing tactical philosophy.
But, what makes Demme an ideal target for the Saints is the fact that the German midfielder is blessed with tremendous vision and can ping accurate long-balls forward. In addition, he is an aggressive player, who is not afraid to commit into tackles – making him a tailor-made fit for Hasenhuttl.
Shinji Kagawa
With Southampton currently in the relegation zone and uncertainty over how far Hasenhuttl can take this team in the future, he will not have the privilege of having the likes of Timo Werner and Emil Forsberg at his disposal.
But, Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa could be an excellent target for the Austrian, given the sheer quality of the Japanese international.
Although Kagawa may not be a robust or dynamic playmaker per se, the 29-year-old bags loads of experience, notably spending two seasons at Manchester United.
Kagawa could be an achievable target as well, having failed to secure proper game-time under Lucien Favre this season and therefore, a January move is more than a likely proposition. However, Southampton could face stiff competition with West Ham and Everton also vying for his signature.
Sandro Wagner
Southampton have scored only twelve goals this season, which is among the lowest in the league. Therefore, Hasenhuttl will be keen to bulk up their attacking department and Bayern Munich’s Sandro Wagner could prove to be an appealing option.
While the former German international may not be an agile forward, he is blessed with some serious physicality while his aerial prowess makes him a tailor-made fit for the Premier League. Thus, Wagner could be utilized as a target-man who can produce immediate results, which is not a bad idea given the fact that Hasenhuttl will have a very small amount of time to make a huge difference at St. Mary’s this season.
Wagner, in that regard, is an experienced individual and can get things running right from the start – making him an appealing target for the Saints.
