It appears as though Southampton are doing all that they can to keep Jannik Vestergaard at the club after recent speculation over where his future lies. The Dane recently admitted that he was considering a move away from the south coast, but club personnel asked him to stay.
"I wont lie and say that a move hasn’t been in my thoughts," the defender told Goal.com. "I came close in January, but the club and the manager told me that they wanted me to stay. And then I stayed.
"I wanted to stay, just like other players chose to stay this summer, because we want to be a part of the great project going on here."
High demand for Vestergaard
The 28-year-old admitted that even this summer, clubs had enquired about him but he ultimately decided to avoid these talks. He reportedly doesn't even know which sides showed interest, ensuring his focus remains on Southampton. This will certainly be appreciated by Ralph Hasenhuttl, who convinced him to stay at St Mary's earlier in the year.
Despite being dropped for the opening two matches of the season in favour of Jack Stephens, the boss has stressed the importance of Vestergaard.
“I think Jannik is a perfect example of a player who went through some difficult times here but never stopped improving his game," Hasenhuttl said (via Daily Echo). “At the moment, he is very focused on his performance, gets more and more accepted inside the group and because of the way he plays with the ball, he’s fantastic."
In his last two appearances prior to the clash against Chelsea, Vestergaard has put in some solid performances, keeping two clean sheets against Burnley and West Brom. He has also enjoyed the international break with Denmark and their win over England could put a spring in his step.
If he helps to keep Southampton's positive form alive this season, a new contract could be in store. The centre-back's current terms run out in 2022 and Hasenhuttl may reward his hard work with some security for his future.
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