Southampton have reportedly been scouting Bristol City midfielder Han-Noah Massengo in recent weeks, and if the 19-year-old were to make the move to St Mary’s, it could be bad news for Saints youngster Alexandre Jankewitz.
According to the Bristol Post, Southampton scouts have been in attendance at Ashton Gate in recent weeks in order to watch a number of Nigel Pearson’s too players, with Massengo also seemingly attracting interest from the likes of Brighton, Norwich City and Bournemouth.
The 19-year-old Frenchman has been a regular in the Robins’ side since joining from AS Monaco in 2019 in what was a serious statement of intent from the Championship side, who made the teenager the second-most expensive signing in their history.
Since then, the midfielder has gone on to make 51 appearances for the club, in which he has failed to contribute a single goal or assist.
Despite having experience in the Champions League with Monaco, you could argue that his time with Bristol City hasn’t really worked out so far, as he averaged a disappointing 6.44 WhoScored average match rating for his performances last season, a figure which has dropped to 6.27 this term.
Who would you rather have?
Massengo
Jankewitz
However, the £3.6m-rated Frenchman is still young and could perhaps unlock his potential with a move to a Premier League club such as Southampton, where he could learn from the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu whilst challenging for a spot in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s first team. Therefore, Martin Semmens should definitely consider bringing him in this summer if they can negotiate a reasonable price with the Robins.
If he were to make the move to the south coast, you might worry that it could impact the future of fellow 19-year-old midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz, who has already voiced his frustrations about a lack of playing time under the Austrian manager by handing in a transfer request in January.
The Swiss under-21 international undoubtedly has potential but seemingly isn’t in Hasenhuttl’s good books after his horror tackle on his full Premier League debut, which saw him sent off after two minutes in the 9-0 defeat against Manchester United. Nearly two months on, that remains his most recent senior appearance.
Therefore, Jankewitz is perhaps already eyeing a move away and might not appreciate Southampton signing another youngster to compete for playing time in his position, so that could be the catalyst for him seeking a permanent exit from the Saints this summer.
In other news… Ralph can amend key Southampton issue next season with swoop for £10.8m-rated “great talent”