Southampton: Saints player hands in transfer request in bid to move

Young Southampton midfielder Alex Jankewitz has handed in a transfer request in a bid to force a move away from St Mary’s.

According to a report from the Athletic, the Switzerland youth international has become frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities on the South Coast and wants to move on to play senior games.

Jankewitz did make his first-team debut earlier this month when Saints saw off Shrewsbury Town in the Third-Round of the FA Cup and came on for the final five minutes of the 2-0 win.

He seems to have set his sights on moves elsewhere now, although Dan Sheldon does confirm in his Athletic piece that Saints are not wanting to let him go because of his potential.

One club that the report mentions as registering a direct interest in the Jankewitz is FC Groningen from the Dutch Eredivisie. Given that Dutch football has proved to be an excellent for the development of many young players in the past, he will see this as an ideal opportunity.

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Recent quotes from Jankewitz’s agent to the Dutch press also confirm that his client wants significant first-team football under his belt rather than working his way into an fringe role with Saints.

The 19-year-old has been linked with Spanish giants Barcelona in the past and clearly has a reputation for being a great prospect for the future.

Saints have had a lack of options in central-midfield recently with injuries to both Oriol Romeu and will Smallbone leaving James Ward-Prowse and Ibrahima Diallo as the only fit players to fill two central roles.

For this reason, it is perhaps strange that Jankewitz has not been given a real opportunity to impress. Other youngster such as Caleb Watts, Dan N’Lundulu and Kegs Chauke have had more game time than him so far this season.

However, Saints are certainly a club that value a player showing hard work and endeavour alongside talent, so maybe this is where Jankewitz’s growing impatience have let him down.