Southampton’s ideal XI following the January window

Fabian Schar

Jose Fonte’s departure to West Ham could see Puel look to bring in another centre-back to partner Virgil van Dijk, and one he has reportedly been keeping tabs on is Hoffenheim’s Fabian Schar.

The 25-year-old has struggled for game time this season despite an excellent European Championships with Switzerland, where the defender helped his country to clean sheets against both Albania and France, before eventually succumbing to Poland on penalties in the last 16.

Nonetheless, Schar has played just six times for Hoffenheim this season, only four of which have been starts, and his substitute cameo in the weekend win at Augsburg was his first minutes on the pitch since November.

Clearly, the Swiss is out of favour at the Bundesliga side, and thus could be looking for a move this month – Southampton and West Brom have both been linked with the 25-year-old, who could be the perfect replacement for Fonte at St Mary’s.