Southampton can land their new Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as midfielder reacts to Saints links

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Even though Southampton have fallen on hard times of late, it will take more than a couple of Premier League relegations to ruin the Saints’ reputation as renowned developers of young talent.

The days of Virgil van Dijk, Luke Shaw and Sadio Mane are long gone.

But Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento and Nathan Tella, three players who left St Mary’s for a combined £105 million, owe much to a Southampton outfit who remain as committed as ever to giving youth a chance.

It is fitting that Joshua Quarshie became Southampton’s first signing of the summer. A 20-year-old Germany youth star who arrives in a £3.5 million deal from Hoffenheim.

Will Still’s side are reportedly targeting Max Johnston, Sturm Graz’s 21-year-old right-back. Chile winger Lucas Cepeda is another young Saints target, while Lazio’s Christos Mandas has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Aaron Ramsdale.

Mandas is the oldest of the trio, too, at just 23 years of age.

“This football club has development as one of the main headlines,” technical director Johannes Spors told TNT Sport recently, highlighting Tyler Dibling and teenager Jay Robinson as two players capable of bringing happier times to the banks of the Solent.

“We have to work together on this. This is absolutely the most important thing. [Dibling] is a great example, not to forget Jay Robinson; the next young player who we gave a debut to.

“I will always be open to integrate young players.”

Elfsborg’s Besfort Zeneli – with his boyish expression and with 22 candles on his most recent birthday cake – is another who fits neatly into Southampton’s sign-low, sell-high, develop-and-profit approach to recruitment.

Elfsborg ace Besfort Zeneli reacts to Southampton transfer links

Southampton reportedly sent scouts to watch Besfort Zeneli during Elfsborg’s 2-0 defeat by Hammarby at the end of March.

A central midfielder with three caps for the Swedish national team, Zeneli has also caught the eye of Bundesliga newcomers FC Cologne and the City Football Group – who control not only Man City but also Girona, Troyes and Palermo – while providing seven assists in 31 matches last season.

And, speaking to Expressen this week, Zeneli was in no mood to rule out a move which could see him follow in the footsteps of Van Dijk, Mane and, from a more modern perspective, Lavia, Livramento and Tella.

“Yes, a little bit,” Zeneli responded when asked if he feels the need for a new challenge. “For a year I have played continuously, produced good performances, been in the national team twice. But I’m not in a hurry.

“I don’t have to move or have to stay. I like to take it day by day. When I get back [to my club], maybe I’ll have a chat with [my agent].”

“I haven’t talked to the club about it. I know that Stefan said something about them wanting to sell me for a few million, but I haven’t had any conversations with them like that.

“There are such crazy prices in football these days. But I don’t know.”

Besfort could be a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg style addition to Saints midfield

Elfsborg director Stefan Andreasson accepts that his prized asset is likely to leave sooner rather than later. He describes Zeneli’s rise from the academy to the first team as a ‘fantastic’ story, albeit one which may be coming to its conclusion.

“Everything should feel right. I’m in a very good place, I’ve played for Elfsborg since I was five years old, so I can’t be in a better place. At the same time, you want to step up as a player,” adds Zeneli, weighing up the pros and cons of a departure from his beloved employers.

“But I have good people around me and their thoughts will help too.

“I mostly watch the Allsvenskan, but [a transfer] won’t happen within the Allsvenskan. I think I have a playing style that suits many leagues.”

An athletic and silky midfielder, Zeneli caught the eye of Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tommasson due to his confidence in possession and his willingness to take risks with the ball at his feet. On paper, he looks a good fit for a Southampton side expected to dominate most of their Championship fixtures next term.

Excellent out of possession too, Zeneli averaged 3.6 tackles per game in last season’s Europa League. There are shades of Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg, the former Saints captain, due to the extremely rounded nature of his skillset.

Zeneli could potentially fill a void created by the departure of Flynn Downes amid reports claiming Russell Martin’s Rangers could come calling for the Southampton ace.

“He does very good things, is brave and wants the ball,” Tomasson tells SVT of Zeneli. :He plays close to the opponents, in small spaces and plays the ball forward.”