Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has hinted that the Saints will not look to sign Kyle Walker-Peters on loan from Tottenham Hotspur this month.
The Saints are one of several clubs to have been linked with a move to sign the Spurs full-back in January, with Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace also among the interested parties.
It was understood that Tottenham would not let Walker-Peters leave this month without signing a replacement at right-back, despite the fact that the 22-year-old has only featured in five games in all competitions for Spurs this season.
But the emergence of Japhet Tanganga in recent weeks has given Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho another option at right-back, potentially opening the door to a move for Walker-Peters.
However, Hasenhuttl has suggested that Southampton would only be interested in signing the full-back on a permanent basis, despite the Saints now being without a recognised right-back for the FA Cup tie with Spurs this weekend, after Cedric Soares picked up a knee ligament injury that will rule him out for three weeks.
"Our injuries are not that long-term. It doesn’t make too much difference," Hasenhuttl said.
"We spoke about alternatives in the full-back, we don’t have too many. Yan Valery is not ready yet to return.
"[Kyle] Walker-Peters is a player playing in this position. I don’t want to speak about rumours, we have a few players we are looking at, and looking for longer term.
"Only for loan, it doesn’t make sense for me for three or four months, it takes one month to know what we do and it is not so easy for someone coming in."
