SAINTS have confirmed that Jan Bednarek has been recalled from his Aston Villa loan spell to help bolster the defensive options at Nathan Jones’s disposal.

The 26-year-old signed for Saints in the summer of 2017 but his Premier League career never fully reached the heights some expected from him and he completed a relatively acrimonious departure to Aston Villa on deadline day.

Now though, halfway through his season-long loan spell at Villa Park, Saints have brought the Polish international back to St Mary’s.

The move comes with Armel Bella-Kotchap sidelined due to a knee problem, leaving Saints short at the back, particularly considering Jones’s tendency to utilise a back five with three central defenders.

Bednarek’s switch to Aston Villa was a categorical failure with the experienced defender making just three league appearances for his temporary side including just one from the start. In his lone start, Bednarek was hooked at half-time in Villa’s 3-0 defeat to Fulham.

In fact, Bednarek returns to Saints having played more Premier League minutes for his parent club than Aston Villa, despite leaving St Mary’s at the start of September.

Saints have kept just one clean sheet in the league all season, beating Bournemouth 1-0 in October, as Jones continues to preach for more solidity with his side attempting to drag themselves away from the foot of the table.

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