Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl urges Mohammed Salisu to stay amid Newcastle United interest

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says it is important for Mohammed Salisu to keep progressing at the club amid strong interest from Newcastle United.

The 22-year-old who has been a standout performer this season was linked with an unexpected move to Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

Newcastle were keen on signing him for around £40million and it is accepted they would attempt to sign him in the summer.

Be that as it may, Hasenhuttl isn't pondering losing Salisu. As indicated by the Austrian, Salisu still has room to improve.

“Keep on going, what he did so far, and develop a little bit his game with the ball in some moments, I think he can still improve," he said.

“When you see him now playing with the ball and when he started for us, I think there’s still a massive step forward for him.

“We are never good enough for playing better with the ball, for being calmer, for finding a better solution. This is an endless story.

“You can always learn, you can always improve. His right foot, his long balls.

“He knows this, he gets told from us, definitely. But the basic and fundamentals for a defender is defending and this is his strongest part, there is no question about it."

The Ghanaian has played 25 times in the Premier League, missing two games, with Southampton losing both of them - 3-0 at Arsenal and 4-0 at Aston Villa.

Salisu who joined Southampton from Real Valladolid in 2020 has two years left on his contract.