A LOAN move involving Saints forward Adam Armstrong is not being considered by the club at this time, the Daily Echo understands.

Reports had emerged linking the 25-year-old to interest from Championship side Middlesbrough, after a stop-start first season at St Mary’s.

However, the suggestion Armstrong could move on loan to the second division for the upcoming season was declared ‘false’ by Daily Echo sources close to the player.

Surrounding the speculation were several permutations such as a loan fee and the per cent of wages met that would be needed to strike a deal, but they were additionally labelled ‘not true’.

Armstrong – who arrived at Saints last summer as a replacement for departing goalscorer Danny Ings – netted just twice last campaign.

His goals came early in the season, with the first notch of the opening day defeat at Everton and a winner in a 1-0 victory over Ings’ new club – Aston Villa.

Ralph Hasenhuttl began to use the forward sparingly following the turn of 2022, Armstrong only making three starts since January.

During his last season at previous club Blackburn Rovers, Armstrong scored 28 goals in 40 Championship appearances.

Austrian boss Hasenhuttl had previously labelled his number nine as a “long-term project”, while he also showed Che Adams patience during his gaol-barren first term at the club.

“The first year in the Premier League is always a tough one, we saw that with Che. As often as I speak with Adam, I tell him his time will come,” Hasenhuttl said in April.

Daily Echo: Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl (Pic: Stuart Martin)Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl (Pic: Stuart Martin)

“I have definitely seen that he has the quality to help us."

He continued: “What he sometimes misses is the last bit of patience before he scores or shoots on goal. He can be calmer in some moments, and he knows this.

“It is not always necessary to shoot immediately, but when he did it against Aston Villa it was perfect and we loved it. Other times it was not maybe the right decision.

"It is only a question of time before he will be an important part of our team. He is a long-term project like all the other players in our squad.”

Armstrong is set to return to Saints for pre-season at the end of June, while his international teammates will join in mid-July ahead of the Austria camp. 

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