Southampton let go again of Ex-Saint recommended signing, Jeffrey Schlupp, as the full-back begins a new English spell at Norwich City on a free transfer.
Hardly any Premier League fan would disagree that Liverpool's 2024/25 title charge was by far the easiest one in recent years. Yet, with them missing out on every other trophy, and Chelsea and Tottenham conquering European competitions, it says a lot for the surprise element in the English division.
Honestly, the least it does is make one hold high regard for every Premier League winner, irrespective of the edition they won it. But one can't help but admit that Leicester's 2015/16 win, being the most unforeseen of them all, defies all these norms of equal respect for English winners.
It naturally follows that each squad member of that Leicester side should come as a priority transfer target, atleast for the middle or bottom table Top Flight clubs. Yet, while this remains the expectation, Southampton did the opposite and are expected to pay for it now.
Saints let pass brilliant full-back opportunity in Jeffrey Schlupp
As per a previous Football Fan Cast report, the Saints were advised by former defender Carlton Palmer to sign one such ex-Leicester star, Jeffrey Schlupp, in 2021. But not only did Southampton let go of him back then, they recently missed the golden opportunity of signing the left-back for free.
And the result? Schlupp has now completed an English return for a Championship move to Norwich. Honestly, it goes without saying what losing a quality full-back option to their rivals means for the Saints fans, but the fact that they could have used him brilliantly is what intrigues them.
That's because, while Saints didn't necessarily need a left-back, Schlupp's signing could have offered them the freedom to shift one of the excess options, in Charlie Taylor or Welington, for support to Yukinari Sugawara on the right. And that's even when sidelining the impact Schlupp would have made to the Saints dressing room, bringing in with himself the experience of an iconic win with Leicester.
It may sound exaggerated, but in letting go of Schlupp to Norwich, Southampton have made a blunder too big to control. Hopefully, it doesn't impact their promotion aspirations much.