FLW takes a look at the players who could leave St Mary’s at the end of the season
Southampton will already have plans in place for their upcoming play-off campaign, having confirmed their place in the top six.
Russell Martin’s side missed out on sneaking into the automatic promotion places with a run of inconsistent results to end their campaign, meaning should they secure an immediate return to the Premier League, they will have to do it the hard way.
And there will be difficulties off the pitch also, with three players seeing their deals at St Mary’s expire in the summer, while seven players will return to the South Coast following the end of the campaign.
| Southampton’s players out of contract this summer as per Transfermarkt | |
| Player | Position |
| Che Adams | ST |
| Stuart Armstrong | CM |
| Alex McCarthy | GK |
| Southampton players returning to the club this summer as per Transfermarkt | |
| Player | Position |
| Armel Bella-Kotchap | CB |
| Carlos Alcaraz | CM |
| Paul Onuachu | ST |
| Duje Caleta-Car | CB |
| Romain Perraud | LB |
| Lyanco | CB |
| Mateusz Lis | GK |
Football League World takes a look at the players likely to leave the South Coast club at the end of the campaign.
Che Adams
The first player to feature on this list who is out of contract in the summer is striker, Che Adams. The Scottish international has enjoyed a prolific season for the Saints this term, becoming an integral part of Martin’s squad.
Many predicted the striker to leave St Mary’s ahead of the season after Everton bid £12 million for his services, while also seeing a loan move to Wolves blocked by the club. His recent performances have also seen Leeds United reportedly register their interest.
Having a proven track record with the Saints in the Premier League, the striker could be tempted to return to the top flight instead of signing a new deal if Southampton fail in their promotion bid.
Duje Caleta-Car
Having only joined the Saints in 2022, Duje Caleta-Car was loaned out to Ligue 1 to play for Lyon, and the Croatian has been a regular feature in France.
Upon his arrival at St Mary’s, the defender signed a four-year deal but with the form of Jan Bednerek and having an obligation to buy Taylor Harwood-Bellis, should they achieve promotion to the Premier League, could force the 27-year-old out the door.
Southampton also have two other centre-backs on loan this term in Lyanco and Armel Bella-Kotchap, and Martin could see those two as potentially better options that would suit his possession-based style of play.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Kyle Walker-Peters has been a player subject to interest for a number of years, with the 27-year-old linked with a move to Arsenal and Chelsea during the January transfer window, despite not being out of contract until next year.
His stay on the South Coast will largely depend on the Saints’ fortunes in the play-offs, and he could be enticed to stay at St Mary’s should they secure a return to the Premier League.
Martin admitted that it would be difficult to keep the defender at the club should an immediate return to the top flight fall short, and it has been reported the club are looking at West Ham’s Ben Johnson, meaning they may already be consigned to losing Walker-Peters in the summer.
Stuart Armstrong
Another player who is out of contract at the end of the season is midfielder, Stuart Armstrong, who has spent six years at St Mary’s.
The 32-year-old has been a fine player for the Saints and has featured heavily this campaign, but with the loan additions of Joe Rothwell, David Brooks and Flynn Downes, it is clear that Martin is wanting to bring fresh legs in during the summer.
Unfortunately for Armstrong, his time at Southampton could end in the cruelest of ways, having suffered an injury against Cardiff City and is set to miss the remainder of the season. He would be an excellent player to have around the dressing room, but it seems likely he will be moved on in the summer.
Romain Perraud
Romain Perraud played 49 times in the Premier League for Southampton, but was sent out on loan to Nice ahead of the Championship season. His time in his homeland has mainly been spent on the bench, and the option of the French club taking the option to buy the 26-year-old seems unlikely.
But with the form of Ryan Manning and the emergence of exciting talent Jayden Meghoma, he may feel his time at St Mary’s could be coming to an end, despite having another year left on his current contract.
At this stage of his career, Perraud would want to play regular football and could see that the opportunity to do so is likely to be away from the South Coast.
Alex McCarthy
34-year-old Alex McCarthy is a long-serving member of the Saints squad and is into his eighth season at St Mary’s, but it could be his final one on the South Coast.
It was reported in the summer that Everton, Luton Town, and former club, Crystal Palace, were interested in him as a backup option due to his home-grown status. With the opportunity of being a third-choice keeper for a top flight club, all while being financially beneficial for himself, it seems likely he will move on from Southampton in the summer.
Gavin Bazunu’s injury has given McCarthy the chance to put himself in the shop window ahead of the summer.
Leave a Reply