“I thought about it a lot” – Player reveals process behind Southampton exit, needed ‘new project’

Unable to guarantee him the regular game time he was looking for, Southampton decided to let Yan Valery leave St Mary’s.

The defender, once a regular for the Saints, was rarely being used by Ralph Hasenhüttl, and while he could have left on loan, it was decided that a permanent break up was best, with Angers SCO offering him a landing spot.

There, he found Sofiane Boufal, who also played for Southampton, and was seemingly a key part behind his choice to head to the Ligue 1 side, as he explained in a press conference, relayed by Made in Foot.

He said: “I was looking for game time and a new project. There were options. I thought about it a lot. I spoke with Sofiane. He told me that in Angers, there is a good group and that I would progress and get a chance to play. I see this as a continuity and not like a new start.”

Arriving from Rennes’ academy at Southampton’s U18s back in 2015, the player made his way gradually through the ranks until making his debut for the club during the 2018-19 season.

Overall, he managed 53 appearances for the Saints’ first-team during his time there, scoring two goals and assisting another two, with both his strikes coming in consecutive weeks against Manchester United and Tottenham.