Wesley Hoedt will be returning to Southampton in the summer but has already decided on what the next step in his career will be.
The 26-year-old has been on loan in Belgium during the current campaign with the Jupiler Pro League side Royal Antwerp.
Last season, Hoedt also made 10 appearances for the La Liga side Celta Vigo as his future at St Mary’s looks increasingly uncertain.
Since his £15m move from Lazio in 2015, the centre-back has scored just one goal and provided one assist in 45 appearances.
Speaking to the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad (via Sport Witness), Hoedt has cleared up the situation by stating that he wants to leave the South Coast permanently, adding that the pre-agreed fee in the loan of €8m is too expensive.
Does Wesley Hoedt have a future at Southampton?
Yes
No
“You have written often enough that the purchase option is €8m and, at the moment, it’s unrealistic that a Belgian club pays that”, he said. “I think it was too much. Antwerp can lift the option until May 31st, but I know enough by now. The club only has to make a statement, but for me, it means that my time at Antwerp is over.”
With football in Belgium brought to an indefinite close this season, Hoedt is now waiting for the appropriate time to return to Southampton.
Hoedt goes on to explain that he has been approached by other clubs and that his future is unclear. Having not played a minute of football for us since November 2018, that could represent its own message.
As a football club, we need to move forward and break back into the top 10 next season, if possible. This is harsh but we cannot afford to have any stragglers. Unfortunately for Hoedt, there is not much of a place for him anymore.
