SAINTS would consider allowing Jannik Vestergaard to leave the club this January.

The towering centre-half has struggled for minutes on the pitch in recent months after Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens have formed a solid partnership at the back.

And it’s understood by the Daily Echo that Vestergaard is someone the club would listen to offers for.

Vestergaard cost Saints £18m back in 2018 when they purchased him from German side Borussia Monchengladbach.

Speaking after a rare appearance in the FA Cup win over Huddersfield last weekend, the 27-year-old outlined his intention to stay and fight for a place in Saints’ starting XI.

He said: “I have nothing to say on that.

“I am a Southampton player and my only focus is to do my best every day to help the club.

“I will take up the challenge here, work hard at training with the aim of getting back into the line-up.

“In football, it is always the manager picking the team and the team has done well lately. This is football, and things change quickly. I will fight to get my place back.”

Vestergaard’s last Premier League appearance came in the miserable St Mary’s defeat against Everton at the beginning of November.

Stephens was brought back into the fold and has proven to have been a crucial player in the club’s resurgence over the Christmas period.

He, along with Bednarek, has helped the St Mary’s side win six of their last eight top-flight matches to move the club up to 12th in the table.

Because of this, Vestergaard has been reduced to a role on the bench.

Saints are well-stocked in that area of defence as they also have club veteran Maya Yoshida and summer addition Kevin Danso at their disposal.

Danso has struggled to make an impact since his move but has largely been restricted to playing out of position as a full-back.

Having five players to play in two positions means if Vestergaard were to leave, the club wouldn’t be leaving themselves short at the back.

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has outlined his plans to bolster the full-back position this month due to a lack of alternatives to Cedric and Ryan Bertrand.