Mohamed Elyounoussi left FC Basel and made a switch to Southampton last summer and made seven starts under Mark Hughes.
Ralph Hasenhüttl replaced the former Manchester City boss at St Mary’s Stadium in December 2018, and the winger went on to make only one league start in this calendar year.
Reports coming out of Belgium suggest the Saints have agreed a deal with Standard Liège for Moussa Djenepo and the arrival of the wideman will only increase competition for a place in the starting lineup.
Speaking to Norway’s TV2, the 24-year-old responded to claims of Djenepo’s arrival, which could further restrict Elyounoussi’s chances of playing regular football next season.
“Now there has been a focus on the national team and winning the two matches here. But I’m going to focus on myself when I return. There will always be changes in the Premier League. So, we’ll see how it is when I return,” Elyounoussi explained.
Last month, the Norway international admitted he will have a chat with the manager about his future at the club. The player has now confirmed he held talks with Hasenhüttl.
“We had a little talk before I went on a holiday. He knows my qualities and sees that I fit into his plans. But we have not set any future plans yet. Now it’s time to get back in shape and take it from there,” he added.
When TV2 further questioned if he felt secure after talking to Hasenhüttl, Elyounoussi said: “We had a good chat together. Both with him and the club. I didn’t get a good run when I got there, so now it is about getting in shape in the preseason.
“It will be these two games here, and then there will be a holiday in Morocco. But I probably won’t get to be lazy there.”
