Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg given stern warning by Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl amid Tottenham links

Matt Davies4 June 2020

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has issued a stern warning to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, insisting he won't remain captain without signing a contract extension.

Hojbjerg is moving into the final year of his contract, with Premier League duo Tottenham and Everton reportedly interested in the midfielder.

The 24-year-old is yet to dismiss any speculation regarding a move away from Southampton, rather admitting he was flattered by the links to Tottenham.

And Hasenhuttl - who signed a four-year contract extension with Southampton on Tuesday - insists the situation must be quickly resolved for the sake of the team.

“It’s not good for him and I don’t think the situation would be good for him,” Saints’ boss told BBC Radio Solent.

“As a captain, you cannot lead a team without extending your contract. This is always difficult.

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“We must look at what we have. I think we should avoid letting players go without a transfer fee. This is what we should avoid.

“It’s not good to go into the last year of your contract – especially as a young player with a big future.

“This is not the ideal situation, but we have opportunities to handle it and we will have talks with other players and find a decision.”

Hojbjerg has been an ever-present in the Saints midfield this season, playing in 28 of their 29 Premier League matches.

And with Tottenham lacking a defensive midfielder following Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama's departures - alongside Eric Dier's dip in form - it's clear to see why Hasenhuttl would want a swift resolution.