Last year's Milan target, Eduard Spertsyan has dismissed Southampton's summer approach straightaway before the fans could begin displaying their excitement.
If it wasn't down to thrashing signing terms with a top two Championship unit, Southampton might have sealed the dream Jack Rudoni transfer until June itself. Now, there is no such fitting need for a false nine playmaker but with the uncertain-ish front three, one never knows.
Plus, getting virtually sidelined from a Lennon Miller-like creative profile does only one thing. Sets up the disappointed suitors, Southampton, to turn their signing focus elsewhere which is often beyond Europe's top five elite leagues with the Saints.
Talking about the reality, the board went the same search route and call it shrewd scouting, but they indeed found a midfielder with a sky-high potential as Rudoni.
Eduard Spertsyan mirrored Max Johnston's Southampton remarks
That player is 25-year-old Krasnodar captain Eduard Spertsyan and to add to Southampton's happiness, even Italian giants Milan were raving admirers of him as soon as last year. That's according to an old Calciomercato report but as things stand, those rumours have vanished to being mere speculations.
It's an unknown detail whether Milan hesitated in giving the green light to the move or Spertsyan prioritised staying but Saints fans can't get their hopes up, that's for sure. As per Armenie Football, the second division football at St. Mary's is a deal breaker in Spertsyan's eyes.
Honestly, it's right for the fans to assume that league champions are highly opposed to dropping divisions regardless of the competitive difference between theirs and Southampton's because Spertsyan has shaken hands with Max Johnston in echoing the same reason.
This must be a valuable talent filter for the Saints transfer chiefs moving forward and let's hope they follow it rigorously.