Southampton so often hit the target emphatically on the transfer front, forging shrewd acquisitions and nurturing their crop for profitable sales, but the south coast club certainly missed a trick on Kevin Danso.
Since achieving promotion to the Premier League in 2011 after a tumultuous period in the side’s modern history, Southampton have largely been an arresting outfit, consistently making commendable investments and maintaining a sturdy skeleton to push towards the upper echelon of the table, but over the past few seasons, the good work has unravelled like a spool of thread.
Currently, Southampton languish at the pit of the division, three points adrift of safety after 23 matches, and the new owners, Sport Republic, face an arduous task in preserving coveted top-flight status in their first full season at the head of the table.
And with this in mind, a rueful eye might be cast back to the failure to seal the deal to sign Danso back during the 19/20 campaign, with former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl landing the dynamic defender on loan with an optional buy clause inserted, but after failing to make the desired mark, it was not exercised.
The 6 foot 3 colossus, who played for FC Augsburg when joining Saints on a short-term deal, signed for French Ligue 1 outfit RC Lens in the summer of 2021, and he has since displayed every ounce the promise that tantalised Southampton in the first place, and they will now be kicking themselves for failing to act upon the abundant potential at the 24-year-old’s feet.
Where is Kevin Danso now?
During his stay in the Premier League, Danso only made six outings, including a further four in domestic cup competitions, playing in every role across the backline and prohibited the time to gel and form a cohesive bond with his team-mates.
Speaking to The Athletic about his time at the St. Mary’s Stadium, he said: “I wanted it to work out, but when you play out of position you maybe need the extra focus that I didn’t have. I should have concentrated more and read the game more. I tried to do that, and when it started well, I took a bit of a backseat and became complacent”.
This season, now exclusively utilised in a central defensive position, the £8.5k-per-week ace has forged 26 appearances for his high-flying team this term, scoring a goal and assist apiece – Lens perch fourth in the division, just eight points behind supreme leaders Paris Saint-Germain and boasting the best defence.
And with an average seasonal rating of 7.13, winning 72% of his aerial duels and making 3.3 clearances per game, this electric talent is evidently an integral cog in one of France’s most impressive outfits.
Via FBref, the “powerful” titan – as dubbed by Adam Leitch – ranks among the top 16% of defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals and the top 6% for assists, while also 7% for successful take-ons and 16% for pass completion.
It is this expansive scope that has left him in such high regard, illustrating his modern approach that will leave major figures across Europe drooling at the thought of his inclusion; indeed, Danso is now valued at a whopping £35m by his club.
That price appears to be slender for a man who produced a scintillating performance last month against none other than Kylian Mbappe, as per Sofascore, recording a match rating of 7.7, winning 80% of his duels, making six clearances and five interceptions – confining the devastating forward to a 6.7 rating, fruitless on the night.
Given Saints’ perilous position at present, there is perhaps a sense of pathos over the failure to activate the option to clinch Dans0’s services on a permanent deal.
Now flourishing in Ligue 1, indeed even shackling the imperious Mbappe, Southampton might’ve even avoided their quandary altogether had faith been invested in this young titan.