Journalist Tom Barclay feels that Romain Perraud can consider himself a little unfortunate to have struggled for game time at Southampton so far this season.
The French full-back joined the Saints in July for £10.8m but has been unable to establish himself as a regular in the team's starting line-up.
What's the latest news on Perraud?
Perraud started Southampton's first two league games of the 2021/22 season, but has since been dropped to the bench for four of their last five top-flight fixtures.
Instead, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has preferred to play Tino Livramento as the side's right-back, and has switched Kyle Walker-Peters over to left-back to take Perraud's place.
What has Barclay said about Perraud?
The Sun reporter believes that Hasenhuttl has made this decision as he is desperate to get Walker-Peters in his team somehow, after he impressed during his first year at the club last term.
This has come at the expense of Perraud, though, and Barclay feels that the 24-year-old has been unlucky not to get more minutes under his belt in recent weeks.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the situation, he said: “I guess it’s just the fact that Walker-Peters is one of their better players, that he just wants to fit him in. It’s a bit harsh on Romain Perraud at the moment, but then again, Perraud’s new to the league. Ralph’s shown with players particularly coming in from abroad, they often get a very long time to settle.
“So, maybe that’s not as much of a surprise. I think it’s just a matter of Walker-Peters, at this stage at least, is the better player, more adapted to the league, and he wants to get him into the team. And so to play Livramento, he’s got to have him there. But it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to stay like that.”
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How can Hasenhuttl get Perraud into his team?
Barclay has suggested that Hasenhuttl may simply be giving Perraud some time to settle into life in England, but he might have to change things up soon given that his side have not won in the league yet this season.
In order to get Perraud into the team, Hasenhuttl appears to have two options. He could simply bring Perraud in for Walker-Peters, meaning that Southampton will have a left-footed left-back on the pitch, which could offer greater balance to the side.
Alternatively, if he still wants to have Livramento and Walker-Peters playing together, the former could be pushed higher up the field to play as a right midfielder, with Walker-Peters then moving back to right-back and Perraud coming in on the left flank.