Leeds United will have to look elsewhere to strengthen their left-back slot this summer after reported target Ryan Manning signed for Championship rivals Southampton. The former Swansea City defender was out of contract after leaving the Swans and had been linked with a move to the Whites, but has opted to reunite with a familiar face on the South Coast.
The Saints unveiled Swansea boss Russell Martin as their new head coach, who knows Manning well from his time at the Liberty Stadium. The 27-year-old has signed a four-year-deal with Southampton as they kick start their summer transfer window.
Ryan Manning said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here. I'm over the moon and I can't wait to get started. It's a massive club, been in the Premier League for so many years, and I'm just excited about the challenge of getting it back there.
"With the gaffer coming here, knowing his style of football and how he wants his team to play, it felt like a perfect fit for me where the club and the manager lined up.
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"You're coming to a Premier League football club that's in the Championship, so the ambition is promotion and nothing else, and that's exactly what I was looking for as the next move in my career. I think it's the perfect club for me to come to, the ambition is massive and everyone as a collective is working towards getting back to the Premier League.”
Russell Martin said: "Firstly, he's a brilliant character. He's got a real edge to him. He's got a fantastic personality, a lot of energy and was a really important member of our group at Swansea, not just on the pitch but off it as well.
“In terms of on the pitch, he's an outstanding footballer who has a brilliant understanding of what we want. He played in a few positions for us previously, and he's coming here as a left-back because he ended up performing as one of the best left-backs in the division last year.
“We've beaten competition from two clubs in the Premier League for him, which I'm really pleased about, because I thought the lure of that would make it difficult for us, but he's come here because he knows the work and he believes in it.”
