Ralph Hasenhuttl has stated Southampton "should avoid letting players go without a transfer fee" amid speculation over Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future.
The Danish international will soon enter the final year of his contract at St Mary's and he has been linked with a transfer away from the club following his strong displays in the Premier League.
Tottenham are one of the clubs to have been linked with the 24-year-old, while Everton have also been mentioned in regards to a move for the ex-Bayern Munich man.
Given Spurs' need for a player who can play as a holding midfielder due to a lack of options in that area of the pitch for Jose Mourinho, Hojbjerg would be a good addition to bring in as he wouldn't exactly break the bank due to his contract length with funds set to be limited this year.
Due to the uncertainty over his Southampton future, Hasenhuttl has warned the player that he will lose the captain's armband if he enters the final year of his contract.
“It’s not good for him and I don’t think the situation would be good for him,” the Saints boss told BBC Radio Solent, as reported by Southern Daily Echo.
“As a captain, you cannot lead a team without extending your contract. This is always difficult.
“We must look at what we have. I think we should avoid letting players go without a transfer fee. This is what we should avoid.
“It’s not good to go into the last year of your contract – especially as a young player with a big future.
“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.”
