Ronald Koeman Believes Morgan Schneiderlin is Happy at Southampton

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has dismissed Tottenham's interest in midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin and said he believes that the player is happy to stay at Southampton.

The Saints boss has revealed that the north London club never made a serious bid for the player and it was just a matter of the St Mary's club showing ambition to convince the French midfielder to stay.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino was very keen to sign the French international midfielder, and the player himself was ready to force a move away from the club. But following a spate of departures of key players, the Southampton hierarchy decided they will not let another of their key players join a rival.

"Tottenham never made a serious bid. A lot of players left the club and Schneiderlin maybe had some disappointing moments but I spoke to him," Koeman said, as quoted in the Daily Mail.

"We wanted to do everything to show our ambition and we showed him that with the signings we made."

The Dutchman believes that one of the key moments of the club's summer was to retain the services of the midfielder, and is sure that the player is now happy that he remained with the club.

The Saints have made a flying start in the Premier League and currently find themselves third in the league and can go second with a win over Tottenham on Sunday.

'It was very important Schneiderlin stayed. I think the player is very happy to stay," the former Feyenoord manger added.

"Maybe he had some doubts about the club's ambition but if you ask Morgan now about our ambition, it is what he would like to see."

Schneiderlin has been a key player for Southampton this season, having already scored three goals in six league games.

"He is a key player. He scores, he defends, he attacks and with that kind of player you like to do everything to keep him in the team," Koeman concluded.