Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhüttl has expressed his frustration at the way the transfer market is operating, with the Saints move for Adam Armstrong seemingly on hold.

The Blackburn forward enjoyed a brilliant season in the Championship last time out, scoring 28 goals for Tony Mowbray's side.

So, with his contract expiring in a year, there was always going to be interest in the player and the south coast side have been monitoring him for some time.

However, speaking to Solent Sport, as quoted by reporter Tom Leach, Hasenhüttl explained why things haven't been moving swiftly in negotiations.

"The market is slow. Everyone wants players but nobody has money. Everyone wants the most money for their players when they want to sell, that keeps everything on hold."

It has been suggested that Southampton have already had offers turned down for Armstrong, with Rovers rightly demanding a hefty fee for their key man before cashing in.

Any future deal may depend on whether Danny Ings remains with the Premier League side. The England international has been linked with Tottenham in recent weeks.

The verdict

Hasenhüttl's assessment of the market right now is fair and you can understand why he is frustrated, but, in terms of Armstrong, Blackburn are right to demand a big fee.

Even with his contract situation, Rovers know they have a player who is likely to score 20+ goals next season, so you don't let them go on the cheap, as it could be the difference between reaching the play-offs and going up or finishing in mid-table.

Therefore, Southampton need to either pay the money that Blackburn want or move on, but these comments suggest this is a deal that could drag on for a while.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.