Ronald Koeman has confirmed that he is still interested in signing one of his former players at Feyenoord.
Quoted in Voetball International Ronald Koeman has confirmed that he is still interested in signing Tonny Vilhena from his former club Feyenoord.
"Let me put it this way: the interest is still there, even if a move happens next summer rather than this winter.”
The 20 year old central midfielder was linked with Saints in each of the last three transfer windows but for one reason or another remained with the Rotterdam club, but it seems he is still on Koeman's radar and the player himself has decided his future now lies away from De Kuip.
Vilhena is rated as one of the best young Dutch talents and was given his debut by Koeman for Feyenoord in 2012, when Koeman left for Saints Vilhena fell out of favour with the new manager. This summer he perhaps hoped for better luck at De Kuip with yet another new boss, but that hasnt worked out and the only question now is when he will leave not if.
His contract expires in the summer so in January he will be free to negotiate with interested parties for a departure at the end of the season, so although initially Koeman would have been happy to wait for his man and get him on a free it could be that with Saints problems he might prefer him here a little earlier and that if agreement could be reached with Feyenoord regarding a small transfer fee the deal might happen in January.