Martin Hinteregger (Getty Images)
According to Sky Sports, Southampton are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt star Martin Hinteregger in the summer.
Hinteregger, 27, rose through the ranks of RB Salzburg’s youth system and made 212 appearances with the club’s senior team. In the process, he helped them win five Austrian Bundesliga titles and four League Cup titles. However, he was sent on a loan to Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2016 and then to Augsburg before joining Frankfurt on a permanent basis last summer.
Though he struggled earlier in his loan spell for regular game time, he established himself as one of the best defenders in the German league this season and has been one of the key players for Frankfurt. He has also been capped 45 times by Austria so far and thus, Southampton should secure his services in the ongoing transfer window.
One of the key reasons for Southampton’s poor performance earlier in the campaign was the lack of stability in their defence. They conceded 9 goals in a game against Leicester City and by the end of the campaign, Hasenhuttl’s men had let in 60 goals in 38 games, which is simply poor considering the Premier League standards.
Danish international Jannik Vestergaard wasn’t at his best and lost his place in the starting XI. Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens did a better job in the latter stages of the season. However, apart from them, Southampton don’t have any other central defender and this lack of depth could be a problem for them next season.
In that regard, signing Hinteregger would be a wise move by the club. The Austrian has been in sensational form this season despite Frankfurt’s poor campaign. He has been one of their best players and could be a crucial player for the Saints next season.
He has also scored 8 goals in Bundesliga this term and if he is able to continue with the same form, he could be a valuable asset for the squad at both ends of the pitch. Hinteregger could be a good presence in the heart of Saints’ defence and his inclusion would definitely provide them with some quality in the squad, given what he has shown so far.
At 27, the former Salzburg man is in the form of his life and Southampton should make the most of his good form by luring him to St. Mary’s Stadium at the earliest. Hinteregger’s experience could come in handy for the club, which seeks to scale greater heights in the near future.
