AUGSBURG’S sporting director Stefan Reuter revealed talks were held regarding a deadline day move for Kevin Danso.

Danso is currently on loan at Saints until the end of the season, with the club also having an option to buy him on a permanent basis in the summer.

The 21-year-old has struggled for game time under Ralph Hasenhuttl and has mainly featured out of position at right-back as opposed to playing as a central defender.

Speaking to the German media, Reuter said: “We were concerned with that on the last day of the transfer window, but we didn’t do it.

“We were in a lot of exchanges but there was no solution.”

Saints were willing to let Danso leave the club if another side approached Augsburg and enquired about his services.

But then Italian outfit Sampdoria got in contact with the St Mary’s hierarchy about the possibility of signing Maya Yoshida.

The defender was on his way with the squad to Liverpool when the call came in and had to say his goodbyes and leave the coach they were travelling on to the airport.

Yoshida, like Danso, hasn’t featured regularly throughout the campaign but is viewed as a fantastic servant for the club.

He spent seven-and-a-half-years at Saints and player over 180 times since signing in 2012.

Because of Yoshida’s status at the club, Saints made the decision to allow him to leave which meant Danso had to remain as cover for Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek and Jannik Vestergaard.