'It would be a loss' - Johannes Spors twist sparks Southampton fan reaction | OneFootball

Southampton face a battle to retain sporting director Johannes Spors amid interest from Italian giants AC Milan.

Southampton have had a hectic period as they deal with the fallout that came with their expulsion from the play-offs last season.

Owner Dragan Solak had some big decisions to make about the direction he wanted the club to go in, and he has decided to keep faith with boss Tonda Ecket.

That call allowed Saints to draw a line under the matter from their perspective, and attention has now turned to giving the German a squad that can compete for automatic promotion next season, even with the four-point deduction that they will start the campaign with.

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Some positive progress has already been made on that front, with keeper Daniel Peretz and striker Cyle Larin joining Southampton on permanent deals after extremely successful loan spells after arriving in January.

Southampton sporting director Johannes Spors attracting AC Milan interest

However, there could be more off-field issues facing Southampton, as it has been claimed that AC Milan are interested in sporting director Johannes Spors.

The German has a link with Ralf Rangnick, with the ex-Man Utd boss under consideration to take over as head coach of the Italian giants, and he wants to bring Spors to San Siro.

Obviously, that would be far from ideal for Southampton, particularly as they are about to embark on a massive summer transfer window. But, the appeal of AC Milan is clear, and it would be a step-up for Spors from a Championship club.

Yet, when quizzed by FLW about whether this link came as a surprise, Southampton fan pundit Louis Harris could understand why Spors was on the radar of AC Milan, as he admitted it would be a setback, although he hopes the club has contingency plans in place.

“I’m not entirely surprised. Since joining last year, Sports has had a real mixed time of things. During his time there have been some really hit-and-miss signings, the likes of Damion Downs, Joshua Quarshie, Mads Roerslev etc.

“However, when it worked, it worked. The likes of Daniel Peretz, Cyle Larin, Casper Jander, Leo Scienza, and even the decision to bring Eckert in, with the pathway from the U21s to the senior role.

“So, I’m not entirely surprised Milan are lining him up, especially given the relationship he has with Ralf Rangnick (linked with the job) during their time at Red Bull together.

“I think Spors will have seen Saints as an opportunity after we were relegated, and a real project to get the club back into the Premier League, and to establish us in the top flight.

“Now that we have taken a step back for a year, it could turn his head. Overall, it would be a loss, based on the record of players he has brought in, and Eckert as well. But, I’m sure there will be continuity plans in place, you would like to think!”

Southampton need a productive transfer window as they chase promotion

Of course, losing your sporting director is not what any club wants going into a transfer window, but, as outlined above, you would expect Saints to have planned for all scenarios, and the recruitment team will already have lined up targets.

Nevertheless, Spors has been an influential figure since his arrival, and whilst he has made mistakes, some of the signings in the past 12 months have been very impressive.

He has a good knowledge of European football, and the likes of Jander and Scienza would surely generate huge profits if they did move on. Meanwhile, Peretz and Larin have already proven they are very capable Championship players.

So, Saints won’t want to lose someone who has helped bring those players to the club, but these things happen in football, and it would be very difficult to convince Spors to stay if AC Milan do try to bring him in.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and, if Spors does go, it will be a chance for Southampton to show they have solid foundations in place, as Eckert will want a very competitive squad to work with as he tries to take the club back to the Premier League.