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Champions League final starter and winner Ryan Bertrand, nowadays well into his mid-twenties at 25, has spent most of 2014 auditioning for a permanent position somewhere, anywhere in the Premier League. He first tried his luck at Aston Villa, then, in the summer he joined recently (and at least seemingly) gutted Southampton. Much like Saints as a whole, Bertrand has had a great time of it down on the South Coast, and unsurprisingly, he wouldn't mind joining them on a permanent basis.
"I'm very happy here, playing week-in, week-out first and foremost. Playing the way we play, with these players, this manager and this coaching staff is getting the best out of me."
"Yeah definitely [I can see myself playing at St. Mary's on a permanent basis]. I'm enjoying my football here so we will see what the future holds."
-Ryan Bertrand; source: Setanta
It's not the first time Bertrand has expressed such desires, and hopefully both clubs are listening. After seven different loan spells since 2006, split around a couple seasons where he got to play Ashley Cole's backup for the Chelsea first-team, it's probably high time the left back settled down and tied the knot with a proper football club. His parents will be so pleased!
It was rumored at the time of the loan move to Southampton, that the two clubs had agreed on a future fee for Ryan as well, should Saints choose to go that route. While I have not seen any official confirmation of this clause, if it does exist, I would think Ronald Koeman and company wouldn't waste too much time in deciding to exercise it. Sure, they could wait until the end of the season, with perhaps some behind-the-scenes reassurances to set Bertrand's mind at ease, but why not just get the inevitable out of the way sooner rather than later?
The left back has started 19 of Saints' 20 Premier League games, missing one through ineligibility against his parent club. He's a nailed on starter and he's performing well. This would be, should be, (will be?) a win-win.