Southampton’s long-term planning rarely plays out quietly, and this week was no exception as technical director Johannes Spors was forced to step in and shut down yet another rumour doing the rounds.
This time, the noise came from Turkey, where reports claimed Saints had already decided against triggering their £7 million option to sign Elias Jelert permanently from Galatasaray.
According to those stories, the decision had already been made. According to Spors, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Spors pours cold water on illogical speculation
In blunt fashion, the German was quick to pour cold water on the speculation, making it clear that any suggestion a decision has already been taken is wide of the mark. In fact, Spors went further, and pointed out just how illogical it would be to make such a call at this stage of the season.
Saints, after all, have until May to decide whether to activate the clause. Acting on it in November would be madness, regardless of whether the answer ends up being yes or no.
Spors even revealed he felt the need to personally reassure Jelert, pulling him aside after the reports surfaced.
“I spoke to him in the canteen,” Spors told the Daily Echo. “I said: ‘Elias, when you read that, it’s b*******. Just don’t listen to it.’ I thought maybe he reads and believes that.”
It’s easy to understand why Spors was keen to intervene. Jelert hasn’t featured since picking up an injury against Swansea, but that absence has come at the worst possible time.
An injury which could have cost Still his job
Jelert's injury prevented former Saints boss, Will Still, from experimenting with the 4-2-3-1 formation that he was desparate to play. Perhaps a fit Jelert, could have helped save Still from the sack. The Dane's injury has had a negative impact for Tonda Eckert too.
Jelert could have been a better replacement for Tom Fellows than Ryan Fraser at Norwich City, and a better suited right-back than Ronnie Edwards towards the end of the Birmingham City match.
“He is a very good player,” Spors added. “He got injured at a bad moment because he played his best game for us and then got injured in that game.”
The focus now is firmly on getting Jelert back up to speed. He has returned to first-team training and could be ready for selection for the trip to Oxford on Boxing day according to Eckert, with Saints carefully managing his recovery ahead of a demanding Christmas schedule.
For Spors, the priority is simple: protect the player, ignore the noise, and make decisions at the right time and not when social media rumours demand them.
With a busy run of fixtures on the horizon, having Jelert available again could feel like a new signing in itself. As for his long-term future, that discussion will come when it’s supposed to and not a moment sooner.
Southampton welcome Coventry City to St Mary's on Saturday for another early kick-off.