One of the top scorers in the Championship could be about to throw the towel in at Southampton, according to reports tonight.
Adam Armstrong has scored 11 goals for the South Coast club this season, which has not been enough to help his team mount any sort of serious challenge for promotion.
The Saints are currently languishing in the lower half of the table and haven't managed a win for seven games.
The former Blackburn Rovers striker joined Southampton in 2021 but failed to make an impact in the Premier League under Ralph Hasenhüttl. Labelled a good Championship-level striker by many Saints fans, Armstrong had his best season in the 2023/24 season where he scored 21 times.
Armstrong's legacy will be an iconic Wembley winner
Another three in the play-offs earned the Geordie-born striker hero status, and his winning goal in the play-off final against Leeds United will be forever remembered as an iconic moment, particularly among younger Southampton fans.
Ryan Galetti has reported on X that Adam Armstrong is open to a move away from Southampton, and that move could happen during this transfer window.
Speculation has been made about the possibility of a transfer to Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers. Armstrong spent time on loan at West Bromwich Albion last season. Although that move didn't go particularly well, the Saints striker might consider the short hop to the West Midlands again.
Armstrong can be forgiven for wanting a move at this stage of his career. At 28 years old, the striker is probably at his peak, and he doesn't want to spend the best years of his career at a mid-table Championship club.
The Championship's joint leading goalscorer will have one eye on his financial future too, so a move away from the EFL could be an option for him.
Southampton will also have a clear rationale for moving the player on. Although Armstrong sits at the top of the scoring table, he has converted a low percentage of chances. Armstrong's xG is 14.38 . He has scored just 11 goals.
This could be the right time to cash in on Armstrong
With 18 months to go on his £60k a week contract, now could be the right time to cash in. His value to a club like Wolverhampton could be upwards of £7 million, which could be seen as good business by Sport Republic, who will already be making plans for another season in the Championship.
Armstrong has shown his class this season, notably in the 5-1 destruction of Nathan Jones' Charlton Athletic, where Armstrong created two and scored another.
So far, Armstrong has been unable to take the next step and score goals regularly in the Premier League. Perhaps this could be his opportunity to prove he can at another club.
If Armstrong does leave in the January window, it could be the clearest indication yet that the club is clearing out the last few remaining players from Southampton's Premier League humiliation. Ryan Fraser is reported to be on his way, and there may be others who could shortly follow.
Although Southampton face Sheffield United tomorrow and Pompey on Sunday, there is no guarantee that Armstrong will feature. If he has declared his future ambitions are away from St Mary's, Tonda Eckert could be well advised to play somebody who is hungry to prove himself at Southampton.