Southampton were heavily linked with Heerenveen midfielder Joey Veerman last year and his superb performances in the Netherlands have now attracted the interest of Champions League clubs ahead of the summer, which suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side seriously missed out on the 22-year-old.

The Saints were seemingly keen on completing a deal for the Dutch midfielder before October’s transfer deadline in 2020 but he ended up staying with the Eredivisie side, where he has continued to demonstrate his quality this season.

In 29 appearances in the Dutch top flight this term, Veerman has contributed seven goals and nine assists, earning an impressive 7.44 average rating from WhoScored.

If he had replicated those performances at Southampton this season, he would have comfortably been rated as their best performer in the Premier League, which emphasises that the St Mary’s hierarchy should have done more to bring him in.

The 22-year-old’s overall goals and assist tally of 18 this season is also more than any Southampton player, despite him featuring as a central-midfielder in the majority of his appearances.

It is no surprise that Veerman is now attracting interest from across Europe ahead of next season, with the likes of Rangers and Atalanta linked with him recently, both of whom look set to be playing in the Champions League next season given their performances in the Premiership and Serie A respectively.

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Veerman earned a lot of praise from former Rangers striker Michael Mols recently, with the Dutchman saying: “He is perfect with the ball and in possession, he’s a really great player. His passing and movement with the ball is really relaxed in a good way.”

He certainly sounds like the sort of player who Hasenhuttl would appreciate having in his midfield, especially this season when a lack of squad depth in the middle of the park has been cruelly exposed following long-term injuries to Oriol Romeu and Will Smallbone.

Certainly, Veerman looks like a fine player who is destined for a bright future away from Heerenveen, but unfortunately it looks as if Southampton have blown their best chance of bringing him to St Mary’s.

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