Results Day: Assessing every Hasenhuttl Southampton signing

Football is a results business too, and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will hope for some better ones to come in the 2021-22 Premier League campaign – kicking off this Saturday (August 14) with a trip to Everton.

We can’t grade that or any of the year to come yet, but we can look back at all of the signings made by Saints since the Austrian gaffer joined in December 2018.

Some are difficult to assess and you’ll definitely disagree with one or two so do let us know your own thoughts and opinions – hopefully the children’s grade marking was a bit more cut and dry!

Danny Ings (£18m) – Pass

Despite his shock exit, Danny Ings gets a definite pass with 38 goals in all competitions since he was permanently signed by Saints for around £20m under Hasenhuttl’s stewardship. Of course, Winchester-born Ings was already on loan when the Austrian boss arrived after joining under previous manager Mark Hughes. The striker's impact and goals have saved the club from relegation, with Saints’ 15th placed 2020-21 Premier League finish being worth an estimated £105m alone, and banked a £30m fee on the way out.

Danny Ings was no stranger to finding the back of the net

Che Adams (£15m) – Room for improvement

Che Adams’ first Premier League season at Saints brought a very poor goal return of just four in 30 appearances, but he did manage to bag nine during the 2020-21 term – which isn’t so bad. He does a lot of work on and off the ball but just needs to find a finishing touch, he perhaps can’t be considered a pass yet but with Danny Ings gone and a new strike partner in Adam Armstrong he might silence some doubters.

Can Che get flying without Ings?

Moussa Djenepo (£14m) – Room for improvement

Moussa Djenepo is a similar scenario, end product perhaps not so frightening but he is a bit of a livewire on the pitch. He’s here, there and everywhere looking to get on the ball and drive at opponents, he could become a key player. Not sure about him being used at left-back, though, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Moussa Djenepo is yet to really get his Saints numbers off the surface but he's only 23 and end-product could yet come

Kevin Danso (£4m loan fee) – Fail

Augsburg entre-back Kevin Danso only featured on six occasions in the Premier League for Saints, in what turned out to be quite a weird loan move. An option to buy was included in the deal that was, clearly, not taken up by Saints and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

In the mood for Danso? Saints weren't

Kyle Walker-Peters (Loan in summer '19 then permanent, £11m) – Pass

Kyle Walker-Peters is still only 24 and is Saints’ best full-back for sure. Really good player who can occupy that right-hand side hopefully for years to come, and crowned off a good 2021-22 pre-season with that superb goal against Levante. Great bit of business to get him from Spurs.

Kyle is easily in the top-two WP's at Saints

Mohammed Salisu (£10.8m) – Pass

Giving Mohammed Salisu a straight pass is probably a bit of a gamble but if he cuts mistakes out of his game he can be a top defender, but crucially he operates in a position where Saints are light – especially if Jannik Vestergaard goes – and has covered left-back before. At just 22-years-old and for only £12m, I’d say this is a good deal.

Mohammed Salisu demonstrating impressively flexible hamstrings

Ibrahima Diallo (£10.8m) – Room for improvement

Personally, there are a lot of qualities on the pitch that are really good in Ibrahima Diallo. He's still only 22 and, as a former France under-21 international, has a lot of potential to develop and command a high transfer fee in future. Saints are also a bit light in central midfield so he provides crucial cover in this current squad.

Ibrahima Diallo (right) might not have the answer just yet but he has huge potential to grow

Takumi Minamino (Loan) – Fail

Takumi Minamino was an exciting one, being a Liverpool player and coming with lots of hype from Red Bull Salzburg. However, it’s hard to believe he’s already 26 and difficult to see where his career goes from here really. Scored two in his first three Premier League games for Saints back in February but didn’t start all too regularly or contribute anything further.

There is a five-year age gap between Takumi Minamino and Chelsea's Reece James (seriously)

Theo Walcott (Loan and then free transfer) – Pass
Former Saints academy starlet Theo Walcott is, for me, a good source of top-level experience in an otherwise relatively young and unsuccessful (trophy-wise) squad. His best days are clearly behind him but he still has goals and assists to offer Saints, registering three of each in the 20-21 Premier League campaign. To get him in for free is an easy hit with the fans.

Saints' summer signing Free-o Walcott

That leaves the new acquisitions ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, who haven’t yet played competitive games in a Saints shirt. It’s a promising window though and looks to be some shrewd business from CEO Martin Semmens and Hasenhuttl – with some big names going the other way, of course.

Romain Perraud (£10m) – Marking not completed

Dynel Simeu (Free) – Marking not completed

Tino Livramento (up to £5m) – Marking not completed

Armando Broja (Loan) – Marking not completed

Adam Arsmtrong (£15m) – Marking not completed