Football

‘Surely not’: Southampton fans react to shock Stuart Armstrong claims

Stuart Armstrong could reportedly leave Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints after playing just 22 minutes of Premier League football this season.

Stuart Armstrong of Southampton in action during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom.

On paper, Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong looks like a purpose-built midfielder designed for a Ralph Hasenhuttl side.

He’s got bags energy, doesn’t shy away from a challenge and loves a shot from range too. As recently as 2016/17, he fired home 17 goals as Celtic won the domestic treble.

So claims from The Sun (18 August, page 61) saying that Armstrong could leave on loan just a year after joining The Saints from Celtic in a £7 million deal has left a few fans scratching their heads.

Issa Diop of West Ham United tackles Stuart Armstrong of Southampton during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Southampton FC at London Stadium on May 04, 2019 in London,...

After all, Armstrong was expected to be a key player during Hasenhuttl’s first full season in charge, potentially forming a hard-running midfield trio alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and James Ward-Prowse.

Though the Scotland international is still stuck on the sidelines, playing just 22 minutes of football in Southampton’s first two games of the 2019/20 campaign. He impressed off the bench against Liverpool in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat but even that might not be enough to win over the former RB Leipzig boss.

Who knows, maybe Armstrong would benefit from a short-term move away from the South Coast, returning next summer with his confidence sky-high. But this feels like the beginning of an end for a player who promised so much in red and white.

Stuart Armstrong of Southampton during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Liverpool FC at St Mary's Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom.

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