Russell Martin’s £25m Southampton blunder is Tonda Eckert’s mess to clean up | OneFootball

Tonda Eckert will have a big decision to make on Aaron Ramsdale, with the keeper seemingly having no future at Southampton.

Tonda Eckert has done an outstanding job at Southampton since he was appointed, even if the club did not win promotion last season.

We all know the circumstances surrounding Saints’ expulsion from the play-offs, and whilst it damaged Eckert’s reputation in the eyes of some, there’s no denying he transformed the club after his arrival.

The German did inherit a quality squad at Southampton, but that didn’t tell the whole story, as the fans were understandably furious at the way the club had been run, and Eckert took over a group of players that were bought by different managers over the years.

But, he managed to mould them into a proper unit, and that team spirit was key to Saints’ unbeaten run last season.

Aaron Ramsdale has been a costly mistake for Southampton

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Yet, Eckert is still feeling the impact of players who were bought under previous regimes, with Aaron Ramsdale returning to St. Mary’s this summer after a loan at Newcastle.

The Magpies turned down the chance to make the move a permanent one, which meant the ex-England keeper is back on the south coast, as he still has two years to run on his contract.

Ramsdale made the move to join Russell Martin’s side in 2024, in a deal worth up to £25m, and, to be fair, it was considered a coup at the time.

But, the keeper couldn’t prevent a dismal relegation, and he hasn’t played for the club since that campaign.

Aaron Ramsdale has no Southampton future after Daniel Peretz arrival

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There’s no suggestion that Ramsdale is a bad influence around the club on a day-to-day basis, so some may question why he hasn’t been integrated back into the group by Eckert.

But, Ramsdale hasn’t featured in pre-season, and with Peretz returning to the club, he is not going to displace him in the XI.

The ex-Bayern Munich stopper was superb after joining in January, and it was a priority for Saints to bring him back in the summer, which they managed to do.

With George Long having joined permanently this summer as well, to be backup, it seems the goalkeeping situation is settled.

So, even though Ramsdale could dislodge Long on the bench, it would change the dynamic, and, if Peretz did make a mistake, it would bring questions about whether Ramsdale should play.

Eckert won’t want that, so he has been left in a situation where he feels the best course of action is not having Ramsdale involved on a game day.

Southampton must be prepared to take financial hit with Aaron Ramsdale

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It’s no surprise that Saints have made it clear that Ramsdale can leave, but it’s telling that no club has come in for the keeper at the moment.

Given the fee he commanded, and the fact he came from Arsenal, it’s natural to think Ramsdale is on a huge wage, especially by Championship standards.

Of course, Saints are also not going to recoup the fee they paid for the keeper due to his struggles in recent years, but even shifting him on loan could be tricky.

That could leave the Southampton hierarchy in a difficult position when it comes to the final week of the window, and there may be a recognition that they need to make a major financial sacrifice to get Ramsdale out of the door.

Tonda Eckert will prioritise unity at Southampton

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From Eckert’s perspective, even though Ramsdale hasn’t played a game for him, he will know that he needs to sort this out.

As outlined above, there’s no indication the 28-year-old is a problem, but his stature in the game means it will be a constant talking point throughout the season. Plus, it’s hardly ideal financially to have a high earner contributing nothing on a matchday.

Clearly, Eckert will have some tough conversations with the figures above him, and he will prioritise the need for unity and togetherness from the squad as he looks to take Southampton back to the Premier League.