Southampton offered a contract to youngster Kazeem Olaigbe this summer, but he ultimately wanted to test himself elsewhere, so returned to Belgium with Cercle Brugge.
That’s according to his agent, Sylvester Agyei, who has revealed Southampton’s efforts to keep the player this summer fell by the wayside.
Olaigbe departed the Saints on a free transfer this summer, electing to return to Belgium with Brugge at the end of August after four years with the Saints.
He had initially joined them from Anderlecht’s youth system in 2019 and moved his way up from there, ending up in the B team before loan spells at Ross County and Harrogate Town.
He failed to make a single appearance for the first team, though, and so decided to return to his homeland in search of more minutes and development this summer.
He’s been slowly integrated into Cercle Brugge’s first team this season, with just four appearances to his name so far and 15% of the available minutes to his name but that’s been enough to see him feature for Belgium’s U21’s.
He made his debut with them in September and hasn’t looked back since, bagging goals in each of his three games so far and earning plenty of praise.
It seems his decision to leave Southampton has paid off and they may be regretting not trying harder to keep him, having made an offer that was ultimately rejected.
“He really gained maturity there and grew physically,” Agyei said regarding his client’s time in England.
“Southampton wanted to extend, but Kazeem wanted to prove himself in Belgium. (Now) we are just bringing him in slowly. People haven’t seen the last of him yet, I can assure you of that.”
