NATHAN Jones revealed he held a conversation with Duje Caleta-Car ahead of his involvement with the B team on Friday, admitting he could have “come and sat on the bench at Brentford”.

The 26-year-old has not featured for Saints since his red card in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle United, sitting on the bench for the return to St James’ Park.

Caleta-Car, who has experience in two other major leagues in Europe, has made 15 appearances for Saints since a deadline day move in August – only emerging as a key player in 2023.

However, the Croatian international played 45 minutes for the under-21s side in a Premier League Cup victory over Sheffield United, just over 24 hours prior to a vital Premier League clash at Brentford.

Asked if he sees Caleta-Car as important to his team, Jones told the Daily Echo: “I see them all, we wanted to get five so we can have the options.

“I spoke to Duje this morning and said these are the reasons why. You can come and sit on the bench at Brentford and maybe not get any minutes and arrive Monday morning having missed two weeks of gametime,” he added.

“Or we can go and do an hour in the B team, and that was the talk. It’s vital and the reason he played is because he is important.

“It’s not that we don’t want him in the first team, it’s because he could play and be in a better place than he would be sitting on a bus, sitting in a hotel and watching Netflix. It’s a means to an end.”

Saints travel to the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday, February 4, with the match versus the eight-game unbeaten side kicking off at 3PM. Jones did not rule out Caleta-Car from featuring. 

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