"Huge blow for Southampton" - Journalist drops claim on "big setback" for Hasenhuttl

Tino Livramento can come back stronger from his season-ending injury even though his absence will be a “huge blow” for Southampton, according to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay.

The £22.5m-rated defender has enjoyed an exceptional first campaign as a senior footballer, but he is facing a long spell on the sidelines following a serious knee injury sustained against Brighton last month.

Livramento has been one of the success stories for the Saints this season since his £5m move from Chelsea last summer.

Remarkably, despite never making a first-team appearance prior to this campaign, Ralph Hasenhuttl threw him in from the off, with the youngster playing every minute of the opening 18 top-flight games, chipping in with one goal and one assist.

Such was his form, Livramento was keeping Kyle Walker-Peters out of the team and earned himself a first England Under-21 call up in the process.

However, Livramento’s season took a turn for the worse in the 2-2 draw with Brighton the Sunday before last after a challenge with Seagulls midfielder Enock Mwepu.

Having left the pitch being given oxygen, it quickly became apparent that Livramento had caused serious damage to himself.

Therefore, it didn’t come as much surprise when Southampton confirmed that the defender had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which is expected to keep him out of the remainder of 2022, meaning he will miss the majority of next season, too.

Despite facing up to nine months on the treatment table, Barclay is confident that Livramento can come back from this hurdle.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “This is the kind of injury that used to end careers before modern medical science, so there are lots of players who come back from these injuries better than ever.

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