You might argue that the following three players couldn't have sunk any lower than they did last season. You could also point out that the only way was up after playing in the second worst team to ever grace the Premier League.
That might be doing those players a disservice as there are several who have left the club and not done very well at all. That's for another article. Let's take a look at some of the players that Southampton perhaps should have kept hold of.
Paul Onuachu (aka Tall Paul)
Tall Paul is back in Turkey and loving life! After scoring just 4 goals in 40 matches for the Saints, Onuachu has already found the back of the net for Trabzonspor 8 times in 12 games!
The Turkish Super Lig is without doubt a far inferior league to the Premier League but a question remains about how effective the Nigerian might have been in the Championship.
Onuachu has scored goals in the top Belgian and Danish leagues for Genk and FC Midtjylland respectively so he's no slouch and clearly Saints never got the best out of him.
Mateus Fernandes
It's still early days for 'Matty' at West Ham but the signs look good for the young Portuguese international midfielder.
Fernandes has started 8 out of the 9 Premier League matches that has been eligible for so far this season and performed very well. He has chipped in with a goal against Leeds United and an assist in the 3-1 home win against Newcastle.
Nuno seems to be deploying Fernandes in a midfield three and he appears to be enjoying the role. His output for the Hammers is already on track to surpass his output for the Saints. At Southampton he managed just 2 goals in 36 Premier League matches in addition to 4 assists.
Although a fans' favourite at St Mary's, Fernandes is better off for his move and will no doubt be knocking on the door for a seat on Portugal's plane to the USA in 2026.
Jan Bednarek
Bednarek's time at Southampton will be remembered favourably. In all, the Polish international centre-back made 254 appearances for the Saints and scored 11 goals.
Following Southampton's relegation from the Premier League, Bednarek headed for Porto where he has made an instant impression. This season he has started all 11 games in Liga Portugal and maintained an average rating of 7.24 (joint seventh rated centre-back in Portugal).
Bednarek has benefited from the opportunity to play in the Europa League too. Porto occupy 14th in the standings at the time of writing and look very likely to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
There was never any chance that the 29-year-old would stay at a Championship club with the attraction of playing in Eurpoe with Porto and helping his club to try and reach the World Cup Finals in 2026. Staying at Southampton could have threatened his international career.
Poland have secured a play-off spot, along with the likes of Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Italy. If Bednarek's homeland can avoid those big-hitters in the draw, they could face Kosovo, Wales, or Albania - much easier prospects - for a place in the World Cup Finals.