Southampton‘s Yukinari Sugawara has left the club on loan to Werder Bremen, marking yet another exit since their relegation from the Premier League.
The Saints have lost multiple key players this window after a torrid campaign in the top flight, including Tyler Dibling, who left for Everton yesterday in a £42 million move. Suguwara joins defenders Jan Bednarek and Kyle Walker-Peters in leaving St. Mary’s this summer, while Armel Bella-Kotchap is currently set to follow them with a medical at Verona scheduled for the German international.
Suguwara Heads Abroad
The sale of Walker-Peters to West Ham United meant that the Japanese international looked set to be the leading right wing-back on the South Coast this summer, and played in three of Southampton’s games so far this season. However, news broke yesterday in the Daily Echo that Suguwara was set to leave to join Bundesliga side Werder Bremen following a warning from the manager of his national team, with the move confirmed today that he had left on a season-long loan.
It was believed that a falling out took place between the player and club, leading to Sugawara not being involved in the Saints game against Stoke City. Will Still had revealed that the boss of the Blue Samurai told the former AZ Alkmaar man had to move to a top-five European league.
Still has already secured his replacement for Walker-Peters and Sugawara in the form of Mads Roerslev, who joined from Brentford prior to the Stoke game. However, it was Ryan Fraser who played in the wing-back role against the Potters in a game that Mark Robins’ team won 2-1 at St. Mary’s.
Roerslev could be set for his debut tonight as Southampton prepare to face Norwich City in the EFL Cup after beating Northampton Town in the first round of the competition.
Writers’ View
It has been seen many times recently that players will try and get moves away in order to get places in their national teams. It was seen earlier this window with Thelo Aasgaard forcing his way out of Luton Town following the comments of the Norwegian national manager, and it has seemingly happened again with Yukinari Sugawara and Southampton. If a player does not want to play for the club, then it is more than right to let him go, as has been done here.
However, this kind of behaviour is a slight to the Championship. It is easily one of the most competitive leagues in the world and is easily on par with many European leagues in terms of ability. Any player performing well in this division will be more than good enough for most national teams.
