Jansson

Leeds United: does new Southampton interest mean Jansson is safe

Southampton have been one of the clubs hotly tipped by media outlets such as The Sun and Sky Sports to supposedly be usurping Leeds United buying Swede Pontus Jansson with a £10 million raid bound for summer.

It’s a strange state of affairs is the whole ‘team X are interested in Jansson’ business because, well, Pontus Jansson has signed a contract with Leeds United, in doing so committing to a three-year deal as per the Leeds United website.

The important phrase in this article is, essentially, the opening sentence that says as plain as day: “Leeds United are thrilled to confirm that centre-back Pontus Jansson will join the club on a permanent deal when his loan expires this summer.”

“Permanent deal,” it says and it is followed in the very next sentence with, “has agreed a three-year contract, tying him to Elland Road.” That would seem to make any approach from potential suitors a near impossibility, indicating that Leeds cannot be gazumped by anyone approaching Torino with a bigger wad of money that Leeds were carrying with them.

Southampton’s urgency to ‘purchase’ Pontus Jansson is the thought-of likely departure of £50 million-rated Saints captain Virgil Van Dijk, who many are tipping to be leaving St Mary’s this summer – with Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton all said to be keen on signing the Dutch centre-back.

However, as reported on The Sun’s website today, Southampton are said to be looking elsewhere for van Dijk’s replacement, and by doing so bypassing interest in Pontus Jansson. The Sun’s Mark Irwin says that the Saints “have identified Toulouse centre-half Christopher Jullien as a potential replacement for skipper Virgil Van Dijk.”

It appears that Southampton are already resigned to losing the impressive Dutch central defender, and The Sun go on report that Saints manager Claude Puel is “already scouring the market for a defensive back-up,” and continue by saying that, “24-year-old Jullien (is) top of his list.”

With Southampton’s eyes supposedly turned away from Pontus Jansson and towards Christopher Jullien, maybe it will mean an end to what Leeds United head coach Garry Monk has already dismissed as mere speculation.

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