Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has told Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg he won’t be Saints’ captain unless he signs a new contract.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg Warned About Losing Southampton Captaincy
Hojbjerg Heading Into Final Year
The Dane’s current deal expires next summer and is yet to give any indication about his St Mary’s future.
Reports suggest a number of Premier League rivals are lining up to sign the defender – but no-one has made a formal approach.
But Hasenhuttl, who signed a new four-year contract earlier this week, said he will remove the captaincy from Hojbjer unless the midfielder pens a new deal.
“It’s not good for him and I don’t think the situation would be good for him,” Saints’ boss told BBC Radio Solent (via the Daily Echo).
“As a captain, you cannot lead a team without extending your contract. This is always difficult.
“We must look at what we have. I think we should avoid letting players go without a transfer fee. This is what we should avoid.
“It’s not good to go into the last year of your contract – especially as a young player with a big future.
“This is not the ideal situation, but we have opportunities to handle it and we will have talks with other players and find a decision.”
Linked With Premier League Rivals
The 24-year-old’s strong displays this campaign have seen him draw attention from a handful of Premier League sides.
Tottenham are one of the clubs linked with the midfielder; Everton are also reportedly interested in the former Bayern Munich man.
Spurs require a player of Hojbjerg’s qualities to fill a void in options in the defensive midfielder role.
The Dane could be a viable option for the London club without needing to splash lots of cash.
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