Late in the afternoon of July 29, Morgan Schneiderlin, recently returned from his post-World Cup holiday, was sitting in an ante-room at St Mary’s Stadium, waiting for his meeting with Ralph Krueger, Southampton’s recently installed chairman.

The 24-year-old thought that he had come to discuss his future. Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and the rest of the club’s gems had already departed and Tottenham Hotspur were thought to be about to return with an improved, second offer for the France midfielder and Jay Rodriguez, his team-mate.

Schneiderlin had attended expecting to inform Krueger of his desire to leave. He had been ready to explain that he felt, after six years in which he had stood by the club as they descended to the third tier and