Southampton should only consider selling star midfielder Caspar Jander if either they miss out on Premier League promotion or an interested suitor arrives with an irrefutable offer.
While Southampton prepare to lock horns against Fulham in the FA Cup, tension is building at St. Mary’s over Caspar Jander’s situation. According to reports, the midfielder could leave the Saints after being discontent with his personal & professional life.
Should that happen, Southampton FC are in for a challenging task ahead. With Jander being one of the club’s most consistent performers, replacing him in the summer won’t come easy for the management at all.
Needless to say, the Caspar Jander case demands complete attention from Southampton. One misstep and the Saints could be losing a future Premier League star at the cost of peanuts.
It’s fair to say that Southampton’s primary choice should be to resolve Jander’s situation and have him continue at St. Mary’s. But should he decide to leave, Southampton must only part ways with him if two crucial conditions are met.
Southampton should only sell Jander on 2 conditions:
1. Failure in the ongoing Premier League promotion quest
A key reason behind Jander’s discontent is his unfulfilled personal and collective ambitions with Southampton. As an up-and-coming star with exceptional talent, Jander wouldn’t prefer spending another season in the second division.
At just 22, Jander has established himself in one of the most gruelling leagues, in the Championship. Being aware of his midfield prowess, the midfielder will be confident of testing himself in the Top Flight now.
If Caspar Jander departs, the midfielder could help Southampton bag a significant return on their £10.4m investment in him. While that sounds lucrative, this shouldn’t motivate the Saints to part ways with him.
Ever since joining Southampton last summer, Jander has been one of the most consistent Saints. No matter who’s at the wheel, the 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength in playing under Will Still to starring for Tonda’s side now.
Only if push comes to shove, and Southampton fail to reach the Premier League this term, should they consider selling Caspar Jander. Again, the decision should be a forced call instead of an optional decision.
Given the low broadcasting and overall revenues in the Championship compared to the PL, holding onto a £20m+ asset like Jander takes extraordinary self-control. With suitors circling, it may become impossible for Southampton to retain Jander.
If such a situation emerges, it makes sense for Southampton to part ways with Caspar Jander. Sticking with him unnecessarily risks their potential profit on the midfielder if he picks up an injury or his market value collapses next season.
2. Interested suitors barge in with an inrefutable 30m+ offer
During Sport Republic’s tenure of more than 4 years now, Southampton have had more losers than winners in transfer deals. Time and again, the Saints have lost a significant chunk of their initial investment while offloading club stars.
In such a situation, Caspar Jander’s case stands out from the norm. Thanks to the Saints’ management of the midfielder and his own efforts, Jander’s market value has more than doubled since the Saints signed him.
Factoring this in, selling Jander to a highly ambitious suitor can be a smart move to fund the club’s plans for this summer window. Whether it’s a Premier League rebuild or strengthening the squad ahead of another Championship campaign, his transfer fees could be crucial in paying their financial bills.
Notably, the only thing Southampton must avoid is underestimating Caspar Jander’s value. As a reference, the Saints can consider Mateus Fernandes’ exit fee as a benchmark for setting Jander’s asking price.
Not to forget, Southampton managed a massive £27m profit after departing Matty Fernandes after just one brilliant PL campaign. While Jander features in the Championship, his asking price must reflect inspiration from Matty’s £42m sale to West Ham.
Recently, it has become more challenging than ever for clubs to find a proven talent in the current transfer market. Here, Southampton possess a gem in Caspar Jander, who boasts the talent to become a Premier League starter in the upcoming years.
As a fair price, Southampton shouldn’t set their sights on anything below £30m for Jander’s exit. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to sell the highly rated midfielder for cheap and bring in an unproven replacement for £6-7m that doesn’t work out.
