‘You can succeed’: Southampton boss explains transfer policy to German media

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Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has been discussing his time in England so far in a wide-ranging interview with Sport-Bild.

Southampton fans should certainly check out the interview in its entirety, as it gives another insight into Hasenhuttl’s entertaining personality.

But when it comes to transfer news, one paragraph, in particular, stands out.

Hasenhuttl confirmed what many already knew, that Southampton will be going in for young players this summer.

It seems that 24-years-old is the cut off for the Austrian.

“We want players who fit our philosophy: lots of speed, high pressing, gaming intelligence…

“None of them should be older than 24 years.

“I have had good experiences with that in Leipzig. I’ve learned to develop young players and see that you can succeed with them.”

Given the signing of 21-year-old Mali international Moussa Djenepo and the apparent transfer chase for Birmingham City’s 22-year-old attacker Che Adams, that seems to add up.

What is clear, is that Southampton will not be bringing in players of a certain vintage. Those players are likely to be on high wages, have little resale value and perhaps won’t fit into the Austrian’s high-octane style of play.

Hasenhuttl has worked wonders with young players in the past, particularly in his role as RB Leipzig manager.

It helped develop the German side into one of the Bundesliga’s biggest forces and Southampton fans will hope he can have a similar impact at St Mary’s with this continued transfer strategy.