Southampton’s bloated squad needs trimming – but it might take all summer to do
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When Southampton’s staff returned for pre-season, a virtual meeting was held with the club’s hierarchy.
Sport Republic’s co-founders Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen both spoke, emphasising this was a fresh slate while Dragan Solak, the lead investor and someone who has frequently injected cash into the coffers over the past year, expressed his enthusiasm in planning to be more involved. Solak, particularly, was thought to have come across well.
First impressions of Russell Martin, Southampton’s new manager, have been favourable, and he was also on the call. Martin views football as a form of enjoyment and wants to ease the natural pressures of operating in an elite sporting environment. He reiterated to staff that this was his aim but accepted it would take time. The goal remains automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
Privately and publicly, Martin has acknowledged some of the players who have now begun assimilating his possession-based methods will not be at the club come the end of the window on September 1. To complicate matters, they might even feature in the opening games of the Championship campaign, which kicks off on the first weekend in August. However positive the feeling is from staff and supporters towards Southampton’s newly-forged power structure, it will remain in a transitory state until the deadline passes.
As was the hope in the immediate aftermath of relegation two months ago, a change of direction and improved results on the pitch will transform the mood around the club. Early indications show supporters have bought in — or at least understood — the new vision, which is led by director of football Jason Wilcox.
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Wilcox has already leaned on his Manchester City connections to recruit midfielder Shea Charles to essentially replace the in-demand Romeo Lavia, while Martin has done similarly in signing free agent Ryan Manning, who played for him at Swansea City for the previous two seasons. Manning understands the inverted full-back remit which is fundamental to Martin creating central and wide overloads and can be consequently fast-tracked during pre-season.
Unlike also-relegated Leeds United, who have managed to shift several high earners and players who do not want to play in the Championship, Southampton’s established figures are stuck in a holding pattern. Martin is dealing with a bloated squad of 37 players, which includes returning loanees and youngsters making the step up to senior football.
James Ward-Prowse’s situation, for example, highlights that no club has been willing to pay upwards of £30million ($39.1m) for him. Not only because Lavia, 19, is the more attractive midfield proposition, but it is evident that no Premier League side wants the 28-year-old England international enough to part with that amount of money.
Ward-Prowse may prove to be one of those players Martin referred to in terms of starting the season with Southampton before departing towards the end of the window.
Ward-Prowse in pre-season action this month (Photo: Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
As for Lavia, Southampton believe he has retained his value despite relegation and have quoted interested parties — most of the Premier League’s top six — a ballpark figure of £50million. At his age and with previous club Manchester City’s buy-back clause of £40m (which will turn out to be less, due to their sell-on clause) kicking in next summer, Southampton can afford to hold their nerve for a little while longer.
Liverpool see Lavia as an option should they need to restock further in midfield than they already have in this window, especially in light of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson being tempted by Saudi Arabian overtures.
Chelsea, meanwhile, can never be discounted, with Southampton’s former head of recruitment Joe Shields now at Stamford Bridge. Shields has a close relationship with Lavia’s agent Emeka Obasi, and knows the Belgium international well from time together at City and then St Mary’s.
Several clubs are interested in Lavia (Photo: Isabelle Field/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
The future of Southampton’s other precocious talent, Tino Livramento, is uncertain. Newcastle United have had bids rejected for the 20-year-old full-back, including a counter-offer of around £23million. Southampton had been looking to make at least £25m to £30m from any deal, which values the total package at close to £50m, because of Livramento’s sliding sell-on clause with Chelsea. However, it cannot be ruled out that both clubs give ground to enable the move to go through.
Livramento is appreciative of the work staff at Southampton have done in guiding him back to fitness following a year out with an ACL injury, but playing in the Champions League next season under a coach who wants to enhance his game in Eddie Howe understandably appeals.
Reports linking Che Adams to Crystal Palace have been disputed by sources close to the player, who wish to remain anonymous to protect relationships. Nevertheless, Everton and Nottingham Forest are long-standing admirers of the 27-year-old Scotland striker and, as The Athletic reported in June, Adams is entering the final 12 months of his contract, with an extension yet to be discussed.
Ibrahima Diallo, 24, is close to joining Qatari side Al Duhail after becoming marginalised last season. His fellow midfielder Stuart Armstrong returned to pre-season this week but a fresh start elsewhere for the 31-year-old has regularly been spoken about.
It is increasingly likely left-back Romain Perraud will leave, despite an ankle injury picked up at the end of last season initially delaying any move. Perraud, 25, will join training this week and talks have been held with one Premier League side and teams across continental Europe, notably in the German Bundesliga.
It has not yet been decided whether January deadline-day acquisitions, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu — who Southampton spent over £40million on — will stay. Clubs who held talks to sign Sulemana, now 21, in the winter remain in the conversation.
Genk sold Onuachu in January but are open to the striker returning just six months on. However, they are wary of the potential financial demands Southampton might insist upon. Contrary to reports of Onuachu definitely being sold this summer, either back to Genk or to interested German clubs, sources close to the 29-year-old Nigeria international remain unsure of what will happen.
Southampton’s state of uncertainty can be characterised in defence. Neighbours Bournemouth would be interested in re-signing last season’s loanee Jack Stephens should the 29-year-old become available, while Armel Bella-Kotchap, 21, is keen to stay in Europe’s top leagues and aims to leave. This is replicated in the case of Mohammed Salisu, the 24-year-old having downed tools at the end of last season with question marks over his availability and fitness. There has been talk of Dutch side Ajax replacing Arsenal new boy Jurrien Timber with Bella-Kotchap, though interest from Germany’s RB Leipzig has been privately disputed.
Lyanco will depart in the coming days and join Turkey’s Besiktas on a long-term deal. Vasco da Gama made offers to the 26-year-old’s camp about a move back to his home country but came unstuck when getting Southampton to agree on the structure of the deal. Vasco previously offered a season-long loan (including a loan fee) with an obligation to buy at the end of the season if they stayed up. Southampton preferred a permanent sale and an agreement was struck with Besiktas on Monday evening.
Reports of now 39-year-old defender Jose Fonte returning to a club he represented across three divisions over eight seasons from January 2010 surfaced in recent weeks. Although Fonte hoped to follow up on exploratory talks after leaving Lille this summer, Southampton first needed to shift central defenders before they could countenance signing one. A decision was taken out of their hands this week though, as Fonte opted to return home to Portugal and signed for Braga.
Irrespective of Southampton’s toils at the end of last season, January signing Carlos Alcaraz is willing to stay for one year in the Championship. Alcaraz was one of the few bright spots during a progressively gloomy final few months in the top flight and, at 20 years old and living outside of Argentina for the first time, has placed greater importance on remaining settled in England.
Alcaraz was a rare positive for Southampton in 2022-23 (Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Alcaraz is one of Southampton’s more saleable assets, though, and enquiries received by his agent from Portugal’s champions Benfica, Italian counterparts Napoli, other unnamed continental European sides and one of South America’s biggest clubs, means it is firmly a case of wait and see.
The complexities of this summer window were always going to be difficult to navigate.
Lest we forget, Southampton still intend to bring several players in, all of a distinct profile and to complement Martin’s style of play.
Southampton took little time to install a recruitment structure and lay the foundations for a more stable future. Now, removing those who will not be part of it is the priority.
(Top photo: Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
