Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be stripped of Southampton captaincy, admits manager Ralph Hasenhuttl

Danish midfielder has one year left on his contract at St Mary’s

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has warned Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg that he could be stripped of the captain's armband if he does not sign a contract extension.

The Denmark midfielder, who joined Southampton on a five-year contract from Bayern Munich in 2016, has one year left on his contract and has attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, British media reported.

"I don't think the situation would be good for him. As a captain, you cannot lead a team without extending your contract," Hasenhuettl, who signed a new four-year deal with Southampton this week, told BBC Radio.

"It's not good to go into the last year of your contract... This is not the ideal situation, but we have opportunities to handle it and we will have talks with other players and find a decision."

Hojbjerg, 24, has made 28 Premier League appearances this season for Southampton, who were 14th, seven points clear of the relegation zone, when English soccer was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

PA