Southampton summer signing Mohammed Salisu is still yet to make a first-team appearance for the club and has now been setback with an injury, just when it appeared that he could be on the brink of a start.

The Ghanaian was signed from Real Valladolid during the summer transfer window but Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted that he would need to improve his fitness before he would be considered ready to make his first-team debut for the Saints.

It was suggested that the 21-year-old was close to starting the Boxing Day fixture against Fulham following the injury to Jannik Vestergaard but Jack Stephens was given the nod instead, and since his return to the first-team, the Saints have kept three consecutive clean sheets.

Hasenhuttl also suggested that this weekend's upcoming FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town could be a 'good moment' for Salisu to make his debut but unfortunately, it seems as if he will miss out through injury after the Austrian manager confirmed that he missed Monday's game against Liverpool after picking up a muscle injury.

It is a big shame for the young defender, as considering the form of Southampton's current centre-back pairing, it seems unlikely that he will be able to force his way into Hasenhuttl's first-team plans anytime soon, especially when Vestergaard returns to fitness.

When he was signed during the summer, the Austrian manager was full of praise for the 21-year-old, saying:

“This is an important signing for us, Mohammed is a player who fits our profile well. He is young and has a great amount of potential, but he is also someone who has the qualities to come in and help the team as soon as he is up to speed with our way of playing.

Hopefully, the muscle injury that he's picked up doesn't rule him out for too long, and if the Saints can find a way past Shrewsbury this weekend, then perhaps we can pencil in Salisu's debut for the fourth round tie, should they be drawn against lower league opposition once again.

And, in other news... Hasenhuttl faces impossible call on Southampton gem who made Thiago look bang average