Ralph Hasenhuttl has said that something must be done about the full-back position in the January transfer window.

What did he say?

The 52-year-old was talking during his press conference prior to the Saints' proverbial "relegation six-pointer" against Aston Villa on Saturday.

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Talking about new signings, the former RB Leipzig boss made it clear he will be looking to improve his defensive flanks. He said: "It is absolutely clear that we must do something with the full-back positions. This is definitely a position we're looking at for the moment and we will do something."

Positive sign

It is rare that a new manager will be so adamant about needing to improve in one specific area as Hasenhuttl has been here. And if you are a full-back at St. Mary's Stadium, this is unlikely to do your confidence the world of good heading into what is a huge game at Villa Park at the weekend.

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In all fairness, though, the man at the helm is right to target a new player in those positions. If you look at the regular full-backs to have played for the Saints so far this campaign - Cedric Soares, Ryan Bertrand and Yan Valery - not one of them appears in the top 10 performers for the club as per WhoScored. Hasenhuttl will no doubt be disappointed that Cedric and Bertrand, in particular, have failed to reach his required standards given their years of experience in the game.

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Clearly, the manager is frustrated with the Saints' dealings during the summer transfer window - he said as much during the press conference during the same conversation in which he pinpointed where he feels his side needs to improve. Whilst things may not be going well, he now has the chance to rectify those earlier mistakes, and it is very positive that he has earmarked exactly where his problems lie.

It remains to be seen how much money is made available to him at the start of next year. But if he does receive the funds he wants, then it looks as though he knows exactly where to spend it. And that can only be good news for Southampton moving forward.

In other news, Southampton are interested in this Champions League defender.