Southampton manager Russell Martin admits Mason Holgate could leave the Championship outfit in January as Rangers look to sign a player who appears to have re-emerged on Philippe Clement’s radar.
If reports which emerged via The Sun this week are anything to go by, there is a chance that Clement could finally get his mitts on a player who was a target for his Monaco side this time two years ago.
Rangers are one of a number of clubs watching Mason Holgate’s situation closely, the Everton-owned defender struggling for game time at Southampton and facing up to the prospect of his loan spell being cut short in the January window.
Holgate has played only five league games for The Saints. Martin, the one-time Rangers defender, has confirmed that he will not be in the Southampton XI for Wednesday’s clash with Coventry City either.
Rangers loike Everton’s Mason Holgate
“I’ve left someone, who has been really great, out for the game and the conversation is not easy,” Martin tells the Daily Echo. “When you care about them it’s a horrible conversation and it’s why leadership can be very lonely, you feel the anger they feel towards you.
“Mason has been a victim of that and he hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s looked like the player I knew we were signing when he came back into the team. He is out of the team because the other guys have played well and that is frustrating for him.
“I can’t sit here and say he is definitely staying.”
Holgate, who joined Everton in a £2 million deal from Barnsley during Roberto Martinez’s time in charge at Goodison Park, would give head coach Clement some extra competition in the centre-half spots. Rangers struggled without Connor Goldson against Dundee on Saturday, with Holgate arguably an upgrade in that position over the inconsistent John Souttar.
Southampton boss accepts he could leave
“Would we want him to stay? Yes,” Martin adds, before admitting that the decision lies with his parent club. “He is a great team-mate, he’s got a great energy around the place and he’s been good on the pitch the last few times.
“However, I also understand that he probably wants to play more minutes. And, for Everton, it is probably frustrating as well. I am sure there will be conversations between Jason (Wilcox, Southampton’s director of football), Everton, and maybe Mason’s agent at some point.”
Rangers are also keeping tabs on Hammarby stopper Nathaniel Adjei. Clement wants a striker in January too, after a serious knee injury suffered by Danilo.
