An important choice for Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has arisen this summer with two of his left-backs reportedly in demand.
A recent report from the Daily Mail linked Ryan Bertrand with European giants Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, whilst Matt Targett is said to be interesting all of Fulham, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Both players played a similar amount of games in 2018/19, but that was mainly due to a an injury suffered by Bertrand after he started the campaign as Mark Hughes’ first-choice.
The main difference between the two is their age. Bertrand is 29, whilst Targett is six years younger at 23.
Whilst largely irrelevant in terms of individual form and ability, this age gap may influence Hasenhuttl’s decision about which player he wants to keep during this off-season.
Bertrand has enjoyed a boost in his career since arriving at St Mary’s back in 2014, but he is not likely to improve as a player now considering his age.
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He was absolutely ideal for replacing the outgoing Luke Shaw and became a vital part of the team, but some of the bite from his performances went missing after the blow of being dropped from Gareth Southgate’s England setup.
Targett’s inconsistency has been frustrating for Saints fans at times but he is yet to reach the prime of his career; potentially making him more suitable for Hasenhuttl’s long-term plan of working with younger players.
He showed on-loan at Fulham that he can string together some better form when playing consistently and could well thrive should he be given the vote of confidence from his manager.
A report covering this issue from the Daily Echo’s Adam Leitch also states that youth left-back Jake Vokins is a player that could be pushed onto first-team level in order to fill the gap left by a Bertrand/Targett departure.
Whilst Saints would be losing an experienced head if they sold Bertrand – and they would have to look for around £15m for him -, it could prove a move that benefits the side in the coming seasons and sees Targett flourish.
The 23-year-old could have moved on permanently last summer but chose to stay and fight for his place. He has a clear connection to the club still, which is something that is under-appreciated sometimes.