Southampton will not want to lose midfielder Oriol Romeu this month, says journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The 30-year-old has been a key player for the Saints this season, captaining them twice in the Premier League, but is being linked with a move to Aston Villa.

What is the latest news involving Romeu?

According to The Athletic, Villa tracked Romeu last summer and may look at him again this month as Steven Gerrard looks to bolster his midfield options.

The £4.5m-rated Spaniard has been a great servant for Southampton since joining from Chelsea back in 2015. He has made just over 230 appearances for the club, with 197 of those coming in the Premier League.

Indeed, Romeu is very experienced at this level, making it no surprise that another English top-flight outfit like Villa are interested in him.

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But that is one reason why manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will be desperate to keep hold of the former Chelsea man.

What has O'Rourke said about Romeu?

O'Rourke has told GIVEMESPORT that Southampton will not be too keen on letting Romeu go amid Villa's interest.

Speaking to GMS, the transfer insider said: "I don't think Southampton would be too keen to lose somebody like Romeu because the squad is quite thin as it is, so I don't think Southampton would encourage any offers for Romeu."

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How important is Romeu for Southampton?

Simply put, very. All in all, Romeu is a very good midfielder. In fact, speaking ahead of Manchester City's trip to St Mary's last season, Pep Guardiola claimed that his compatriot was one of the best players in his position in the Premier League. 

"He [Hasenhuttl] has experience at the back and one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, Romeu," Guardiola was quoted as saying by City's official website.

In the middle of the park, Romeu brings a real combative presence. As per WhoScored, he is averaging an impressive 2.5 tackles per game, which is the highest in Hasenhuttl's squad.

The former Barcelona player also tries to keep things ticking for the Saints, averaging 49 passes a match - only Mohammed Salisu (50.6) is making more passes on average.

When you look at all of that, again, Romeu is a midfielder Hasenhuttl will not want to lose, especially in the middle of a season.

Therefore, Villa may need to look elsewhere in their mission to improve their midfield. Romeu would be a great addition to their squad, but it would be a surprise if the Saints allowed him to leave in this transfer window.