A lot has already happened at Southampton this week. Former genius declared young coach Will Still was fired after five months. This was the 33-year-old’s first coaching job in his home country, out in the Belgian and French top leagues there has been success. But not on the ball island. Southampton went for direct promotion to the Premier League, but twelve points from thirteen games and part of the relegation battle were not enough. At the same time as changing coach, it is reported that the club has agreed with the former Barcelona player.
What will tempt a former player for one of the world’s best clubs to the bottom of the English second division, you probably ask. For Oriol Romeu, it is actually quite natural to gravitate to Southampton. The Spanish midfielder is like a Saints veteran. Between 2015 and 2022, Romeu wore the Southampton shirt for 256 games. The former academy player at Barcelona left the English club for Girona, then returned to Barcelona in 2023.
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Here it turned out that there was no room after all, after a few games in the Barca shirt and then a loan to Girona, the 34-year-old left Barcelona in the summer.
According to local newspaper Southern Daily Echo, Southampton have reached an agreement with the Spanish midfielder on a short-term contract.
Will the Sants supporters give a standing ovation? Definitely. Romeu is described as a supporter favourite at Southampton because of the mentality he shows on the pitch and the uncompromising winner’s mind, regardless of the opponent.
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