Southampton have suffered an injury blow as an “exceptional” £120,000-per-week ace has withdrawn from international duty, according to a recent report.
The Saints’ joy of claiming their first Premier League win of the season last week soon evaporated as they suffered defeat on Saturday away at Wolves.
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In light of recent results, the future of Russell Martin remains very much up in the air, as the Saints have struggled to replicate the form they showed in the Championship. 4 points from 11 games have put Martin under pressure, so much so that he was on the brink of being sacked a few weeks ago.
However, he has remained in charge, and it has been claimed that the Southampton hierarchy is looking to keep the faith with Martin and hold off on firing the Saints manager. But it doesn’t get much easier for the former defender, as Southampton have games against Liverpool and Brighton straight after the international break.
Martin will hope he can get to January and have the chance to refine the squad as they try to stay above that dotted line. Last week, it was claimed that the Saints were keeping an eye on Motherwell’s Lennon Miller. The 18-year-old has been impressing in Scotland and has caught the eye of Southampton’s board.
The Saints boss will first be hoping his team can get through this two-week break unhurt, but they have already suffered a serious injury blow to a key first-team player.
Southampton suffer Ramsdale injury blow
According to the Daily Echo, Aaron Ramsdale has withdrawn from England duty and is set for a spell on the sidelines with a suspected fractured finger. The 26-year-old joined the Saints in the summer transfer window from Arsenal after spending three years at the Emirates.
The shot-stopper moved to St Mary’s Stadium to get back to playing football after losing his spot in north London. Since joining Southampton, Ramsdale, who earns a weekly wage of £120,000, has played every game he has been available for in the Premier League.
However, that may soon change, as Ramsdale, who was described as “exceptional” by Mikel Arteta last year, is set for a spell on the sidelines as his injury requires surgery, while there is no timeframe on his return. However, it was suggested that given his type of injury, the goalkeeper could face as much as six weeks out.
That means Southampton are likely going to have to rely on Alex McCarthy for the forthcoming games as Ramsdale focuses on his recovery.
Southampton confirmed the injury news about Ramsdale in a statement that read: “Aaron Ramsdale has been forced to withdraw from the latest England squad due to injury.
“He will miss the Nations League contests against Greece and Republic of Ireland due to an injury picked up in Saturday’s Premier League game against Wolves. Ramsdale will now remain with the medical staff at Staplewood Campus over the international break.”
