A return to the EFL Championship means Southampton must get their recruitment right this summer. Will Still's appointment as the Saints' new boss on a three-year deal is an exciting one but he must be given time.
The young Belgium-born English coach will work with sporting director Johannes Spors on shaping the squad as he desires. This has already seen the club move for Hoffenheim defender Joshua Quarshie and he could be the first of many that come through the St Mary's door.
Yet, there could be plenty of depatures this summer with high-profile names and the highest earners on the South Coast likely wanting to remain in the Premier League. But there are also some of the squad who have struggled for game time or to reach their potential and could and should be sold.
5 players Southampton have to sell more than anyone else this summer
Cameron Archer
There were huge expectations regarding Cameron Archer's arrival at St Mary's last summer. The English attacker arrived from Aston Villa in a £15m deal following impressive spells on loan at Middlesbrough and Sheffield United.
Archer was tipped to quickly become a main man with the Saints and help fire the club towards potential survival. That didn't happen, with the 23-year-old failing to live up to the hype and managing just two goals in 35 league outings.
Russell Martin, who was sacked in December, played an important role in bringing him to the South Coast. He's looking likely to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy at Leicester City, and there's early talk of him looking to take Archer with him.
Jan Bednarek
The Polish defender is in his 12th year with the club but now feels the right time to move on. He's enjoyed many ups and endured many lows during his time at Southampton.
Jan Bednarek reportedly has a £6m release clause that has become active following relegation, per The Daily Echo. The Saints can embark on a much-needed overhaul of Still's defence by selling one of the club's longest servants.
The 29-year-old recently suggested that the club can "build something good" amid a return to the EFL Championship. But that could start with him parting ways to allow youngsters such as new signing Quarshie the chance to kickstart a new era.
Paul Onuachu
The veteran Nigerian striker finished the campaign as the Saints' top scorer with four goals in 25 games. He proved to be a hit during a previous loan spell in Turkiye, managing 17 goals in 15 games for Trabzonspor before returning last summer.
The 31-year-old, much like Bednarek, could be another sale that indicates the club's intention to rebuild Still's squad with a focus on youth. He's already attracted interest from the Turkish outfit, although their reported €4m (£3.3m) bid falls short of his €6m (£5m) price tag.
With Dom Ballard, 20, knocking on the door and eager for more first-team opportunities, it seems necessary to sell. He has a year left on his contract, so there is pressure to cash in this summer.
Aaron Ramsdale
Let's not spend a summer distracted by talk over Aaron Ramsdale who'll undoubtedly be desiring remaining in the Premier League. The Saints' success in bringing the English goalkeeper to St Mary's sometimes goes under the radar given he had plenty of options last summer.
Ramsdale joined Southampton from Arsenal in a £30m deal and his experience was clear despite the club's failure to stay in the top-flight. The 27-year-old put in several impressive performances and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon he'll want to ensure he stays in Thomas Tuchel's line of sight.
There is money to be made from a sale, which could hit £25m if interested clubs want to trigger his relegation release clause. Aston Villa are thought to be considering replacing Emi Martinez with the former Premier League Team of the Season shot-stopper. The earlier the better regarding his likely exit.
Charlie Taylor
One of the biggest letdowns of the 2024-25 campaign was Charlie Taylor who'd arrived as a free agent last summer after leaving Burnley. The veteran full-back rarely featured this season, making eight league appearances.
Simon Rusk explained that Taylor had been a "victim of circumstances" and that sometimes "people fall out of favour". Those comments suggest that the 31-year-old wasn't fancied by the Rusk, Juric, or Martin.
Taylor still has a year left on his contract and he knows the Championship well from his time at Burnley and Leeds. But he'll want more game time than he received this season, and whether Still will offer him that remains to be seen.
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