Rodriguez prepares to leave Southampton

Having played under Mauricio Pochettino and improved to a position where clubs are taking note of them, it is no surprise that their players want to leave for a bigger club who can pay them a bigger wage.

Rodriguez prepares to leave Southampton


It's a fact of life that Southampton fans are having to get used to, players move because their agents know they can earn more elsewhere and the player has the opportunity to play European football, which is as near as you'll get to a closed shop in the Premier League.

Ricky Lambert (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Liverpool) and Luke Shaw (Manchester United) have left, two for inflated fees, Dejan Loven has handed in a transfer request as he and Morgan Schneiderlin, who has been told he has to bee playing European football to remain in the French squad, both want to leave.

Liverpool are favourites for Lovren while Schneiderlin wants to come to Tottenham. Top of Spurs wanted list however is a player currently injured, Jay Rodriguez. Naturally Southampton want to keep him but the player will know of our interest, and that of Liverpool, and has decided not to sign a new contract.

He suffered cruciate ligament damage and is in the recovery process but that hasn't put either club off working away from the spotlight of the media to facilitate a transfer, now or in the future. New Southampton boss Ronald Koeman can be as adamant as he likes but money talks in football. Rodriguez has two years left on a deal so next summer his price dips, he'll be entering the final year of his contract and can leave for free at the end of it.

His refusal to agree to discuss a new a new contract is a clear indication that he wants to also join a bigger club. The best option for him to secure a move in the winter transfer window is to continue to refuse the offer of new contracts. He is in a strong position, contracts are merely a method to secure a transfer fee, in today's football they don't guarantee a player staying for that long.

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In that respect Southampton don't have the problems we have. As we can pay higher wages that the division below us, players are reluctant to leave and simply refuse to go. Heurelho Gomes and David Bentley, who promptly ruined his career doing it, simply sit out their contracts and collect a wage. Players on Southampton wages cab always get similar pay elsewhere so have no need to stay put.

Southampton and similar clubs are a stepping stone to clubs with European football and they in turn are stepping stones to clubs with Champions League football, that the natural order, which isn't going to change. We all have our own problems within that, it's unfortunate for Southampton they are having to come to terms with the realities of football.

It is unlikely Rodriguez will move this window, although if the price were right Spurs would buy, the winter transfer window is expensive so his departure will more likely be next summer when Pochettino will be hoping to be reunited. Rodriguez will no doubt speak to him over the course of the season and next summer he'll be a major transfer story.

At the moment it's concentrate on rehab, get fit, get games under the belt and get some form.

"I know that once I've done the rehab and done it correctly, if anything, it'll make me physically stronger. I've got time to build muscle and build my legs up to improve. I don't get the time in the season.
"I know mentally it will make me stronger, because at times I think you need a bit of negativity in your career to overcome it."

I doubt very much that Rodriguez will sign another contract with Southampton and next season Koeman will have to make giant strides with a new team, just to stay still. How well he achieves that will determine Rodriguez future. Unless Southampton can demonstrate they can get into the top 6, and that is highly unlikely, then there is no reason for Rodriguez to remain at the club.

Tottenham have bids in for several strikers and are waiting to see what happens, if nothing I suspect Daniel Levy and Mauricio Pochettino will simply wait for Rodriguez, with no doubt a chat or two along the way, only to discuss cooking techniques you understand.