Ronald Koeman has revealed Southampton's reasons for letting Steven Caulker terminate his loan spell with the club.

The 24-year-old QPR defender will spend the remainder of the season at Liverpool after a failed stint at St Mary's where he was unable to force his way past Koeman's preferred defensive pairing of Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk.

Of the Caulker move, Koeman said: "We spoke about his situation on Tuesday evening.

"Steven came in in the summer before we signed Virgil van Dijk because we had long-term injuries and he was a back-up.

"He didn't play a lot and normally we have more defenders for that position.

"I am not to stop his opportunity to play for Liverpool."