Southampton defender Bednarek discusses his rivalry with Salisu

Bednarek has discussed the Saints’ fierce fight for center-back positions.

Southampton defender Jan Bednarek has admitted that competing with the likes of Mohammed Salisu in the heart of the team’s defense is helping him to perform at his best.

Last season, he was a first-choice centre-back alongside Jannik Vestergaard, who left for Leicester City in August. However, the Poland international started the 2021-22 season slowly, as he found himself out of the starting XI, owing largely to a late arrival to pre-season after playing for his country at the Uefa European Championship.

With Salisu and Jack Stephens, the fourth-choice center-back last season, establishing a fine relationship before the season began, Bednarek has had to wait for the latter’s injury to go back into the starting lineup.

“I am a professional. I knew what I had to do,” the Poland star told HampshireLive when asked if it was hard to settle back in at Saints following his Euro 2020 trip.

“The manager decided that [Mohammed] Salisu and Jack [Stephens] were defending in this new way better than me. That’s it.

“It’s also a good boost for me, motivation to not get into a comfort zone and I always try to improve and that’s what I did.

“I think it’s a good season. It’s a moment where I’m improving, a moment where I’m learning and that’s what’s important – to not stay in the comfort zone but always be keen to improve and that’s what I’m doing.”

Salisu, who was the club’s third-choice center-back last season, has ascended to become the first-choice option this season, demonstrating a huge boost in stock in recent months.

So far this season, the Ghanaian has started all but one of Southampton’s league games, coming in as a substitute in the one other game when he did not make the starting XI.

The Saints signed the 22-year-old from Real Valladolid on a four-year contract last year.

In his debut season, he made 12 league appearances for the English club, with his restricted game time due to intense competition in defense and an inconsistent fitness.