Southampton’s Victor Wanyama says that he’s expecting a “tough” season after the club’s decision to sell a host of first-team players.
The Saints have been picked apart by some of the Premier League’s big boys in recent months, with five regulars from last season no longer at St Mary’s Stadium.
Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren have all joined Liverpool, while teenage full-backs Luke Shaw and Callum Chambers are now Manchester Untied and Arsenal players respectively.
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As well as this, manager Mauricio Pochettino is Spurs’ head coach, while Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez are also being linked with switches away from the South Coast.
Wanyama – who himself has been the subject of transfer rumours – believes that Southampton face a difficult season, but that if given time they will rise once again:
“It is going to be tough because we have a lot of new players coming in and we have to gel well and I strongly believe this will need some time,” he told Goal.
“It will not be easy as a club but we will need to work hard as a team and see how far we can go with our new signings. I think everything is in place (for a good season), it is normal in football because players come and go and our aim is to start the season on a sound note come August 16.
“We need to show that we are still a strong team like we were last season when we finished eighth in the league.”
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