Sasa Kalajdzic’s move to Wolverhampton Wanderers was only announced on Wednesday, and the Austrian striker could make his debut for his new club as early as Saturday.
New signing Sasa Kalajdzic is expected to score goals for Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have made a poor start to the season. It remains to be seen whether the Austrian striker, who was brought from Stuttgart for 18 million euros, will have the opportunity to do so against Southampton at home on Saturday. Either way, his team is under pressure, as they are still winless after five rounds in 18th place in the Premier League. They have drawn both of their first two home games of the season.
Kalajdzic, who was only signed on Wednesday, will be in the squad against Ralph Hasenhüttl’s Southampton and is likely to get his first minutes of action. However, his coach Bruno Lage warned against exaggerated expectations. “He hasn’t trained with the team yet and people expect him to score three goals. I am talking about time for the players to settle in. I know our club has a culture of giving players time,” the Portuguese said when asked about his new striker.
Southampton travel with confidence
Southampton arrive at the Molineux Stadium with plenty of confidence. Coach Hasenhüttl’s ninth-placed squad surprised with a 2-1 win over Chelsea during the week. “We have to keep our spirits at this level, it’s fantastic to work with the team at the moment,” said Hasenhüttl, giving an insight into the team structure, into which he also has to integrate several newcomers. Wolverhampton should not be underestimated under any circumstances. “Although they don’t have a win yet, they have been close several times. They are always strong at home.”
He expects a lot from his compatriot Kalajdzic after his “fantastic time in Stuttgart”. “He is one of the greatest offensive talents in our country. Now he has made the big step into the best league in the world, into a good team, but that was an absolutely necessary step for him,” Hasenhüttl stressed.
The top match of the round will take place on Sunday when Manchester United host the only team still unblemished at the top of the table, Arsenal. Arsenal’s closest rivals and champions Manchester City visit Aston Villa on Saturday.
