Ryan Bertrand has confirmed he is leaving at the end of the season. Amazing servant to our club. Thank you Ryan and all the best!
Thanks Berty, you've been a great servant for 6 years and a real bargain at £10M... (but an un-inspiring captain)! Time for us to look forward and get some fresh legs down the left hand side which suits our style of play.
A player of true international class that has given us the best years of his career, good luck for the future and your business ventures Bertie...
Club statement: Southampton Football Club can today confirm that Ryan Bertrand will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season. Bertrand initially joined Saints on loan from Chelsea in 2014, before making his move permanent at the start of 2015. He has gone on to make 240 appearances for the club, scoring eight times, and was a key part of the team during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. Whilst that time will always be fondly remembered, the club and Ryan have agreed that now is the time to respectfully part ways and move forward on different paths. Everyone associated with Southampton would like to thank Ryan for his contribution to the history of the club, and for all the memories he has helped create for our fans. He will forever be welcome at St Mary’s and Staplewood and will always be a Saint.
Fair enough. He has been a great servant & I think he really loves the club & fanbase, hopefully see him back soon in a backroom capacity as he has bags of experience & would be an ideal mentor. Best of luck in the future Bertie
Nicely handled. Respectful and public parting of the ways handled well by both parties and hopefully the fact it's been announced ahead of next week's game means our fans can show him some love. Been a great servant, an excellent signing and one of my favourites in recent years.
Class player who gave us the prime years of his career. Seems logical that he’d go to Arsenal now (London club, need a back up to Tierney, loves an ageing Chelsea lad), but I’d be interested to see him go abroad and enjoy the sun and a slower tempo of football. Hopefully we can replace him with someone with a bit more pace and attacking output, but we’ll deffo miss his 1v1 defending.
I wouldn't have been against him signing a one or two year extension with the intention of him transitioning to backup. How quickly the transition depending on how quickly the new LB settles in. This leaves us likely having to bring two new players in at LB for next season. Regardless of that, his consistency and experience has been invaluable through the highs and lows of the past 7 years. A fantastic servant to the club over that time and a true Saint. Glad to see our partnership has ended on good terms and hope to see him back at St.Marys one day so we can give him the ovation he deserves. Thank you Ryan
Not surprised with this news. He's been a fantastic player for us over the last 7 years and can only wish him well for the future. Thank you Ryan.
Aw, a tad emotional reading that letter. What a classy gesture, and what an excellent player he has been for us. Will take some replacing.
The right footballing decision for both parties I think, but glad to see it is all on good terms and it is right for the club to acknowledge the significant contribution Bertrand has made to the club over the past 7 years, which is an eternity in modern football.
I think this is the right decision for all parties and glad it has been handled well. Hopefully he is fit to play in front of at least some fans so he can get a decent thank you and farewell. He has made it clear he wants to stay in football one way or another so good luck to him and maybe see him back one day. At just £10m he has been worth every penny and then some!
Like others have said, I think this decision will suit both parties. Saints want a younger, more dynamic left back to go with KWP on the right (a Ryan of 4/5 years ago in other words). Ryan wants first team football which I don't think Saints were prepared to guarantee.