da spicy bet： Since being promoted to the Premier League, Southampton have been a blueprint for other sides in how to maintain top-flight status.
da blaze casino： The south coast club have consistently overachieved for the last number of seasons, with any hint of relegation blown out of the water in favour of European ambitions.
The St Mary’s Stadium outfit have recruited well over the last five years, with the so-called bigger boys attracted by the team’s success.
For a side to lose players of the quality of Morgan Schneiderlin, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Nathaniel Clyne, Rickie Lambert and Calum Chambers, a demise is wholeheartedly expected.
However, Southampton’s continued place in the Premier League as a prickly and gifted opponent stems around their replacement of the players that they sell.
One of the key areas in which Ronald Koeman was forced to reinforce over the off-season was at centre-half, with a shrewd acquisition from a familiar destination promising to play a part in continuing the team’s success.
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Virgil van Dijk joined the south coast club on transfer deadline day and looks like a defender that can be an imposing and assured presence in the Saints backline.
Last season Toby Alderweireld was an impressive member of Koeman’s side while on loan from Atletico Madrid, but the Belgian opted to switch to Tottenham over the summer.
Looking north, Southampton snatched arguably Scottish champions Celtic’s best player by bringing the promising Dutch centre-back to St Mary’s. This ploy has worked very well for the club in the past, with essential midfield enforcer Victor Wanyama also signed from the SPL powerhouses.
Although the Scottish top flight is nowhere near as high in quality as the Premier League, it has been proven as a place where raw talent can be snatched up and developed.
Wanyama was a standout performer for the Hoops over two seasons in Glasgow, with the Kenyan’s physical attributes in particular causing English scouts to sit up and take notice.
A host of Premier League teams were linked with the African battler, but it was the Saints that ended up matching Celtic’s £12.5 million valuation. There is no doubt that spending so much on the midfielder was a risk, but any transfer can be seen in the same light.
Now, despite Wanyama’s attitude sullying his reputation at St Mary’s after a move to Tottenham was denied, the Kenyan is worth considerably more and a valuable member of Koeman’s squad.
Likewise, Van Dijk was consistently linked with countless English clubs, but it was once more the Saints who have shelled out the big bucks, £11.5 million, to bring the defender south.
A very impressive Saints debut against West Brom gives the Southampton fans belief that the latest signing for the club can be just as impressive as Alderweireld was last season.
It also highlights that although not all SPL players are good enough to play for a Premier League club, there is value and quality to be had by looking north of the border.
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