Saints are one of two teams eyeing a move for former Chelsea defender Xavier Mbuyamba, according to Sky Sports' Anthony Joseph.
The 23-year-old is heading into the final 12 months of his contract at FC Volendam. The newly promoted Dutch Eredivisie outfit are reported to be open to selling the centre-back during the transfer window.
Issuing an update on X, Joseph claimed that both Watford & Southampton are interested in Volendam centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba.
UPDATE: Watford & Southampton are interested in Volendam centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba. #WFC have been monitoring the 23yo for a few years after making an enquiry in the summer of 2023, along with Celtic & Sampdoria.
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) July 14, 2025
Volendam keen to cash in now.
(w/@SkySportsLyall)#SaintsFC https://t.co/COCxDvx2ND pic.twitter.com/ursQzADnk3
Last week, Joseph reported also that Celtic were interested in Mbuyamba.
Standing at 6'5'', the Dutch centre-back is a league winner with Volendam, who have just won the Dutch Eerst Divisie at a canter.
Mbuyamba is a goal scoring defender who likes to get on the ball and play. After spending his developmental years at Barcelona and Chelsea you would expect nothing less.
The Dutchman made the move to Volendam in 2022, where he’s amassed 75 appearances in all competitions.
Signing another centre-back is improbable
Signing another centre-back is improbable given that Saints currently have eight players who can play in that position. One can only imagine that any interest can only be because the club are looking to move a few on and expecting others to leave.
Jan Bednarek is one of the players that Southampton might be expecting to leave in the window. Bednarek has been linked with a move to Turkey, if his relegation clause is activated. The Polish centre-back has only just returned to training after an extended break and did not feature in the club's first friendly of the season against Eastleigh on Saturday.
Another player linked with a move away is Saints' England international, Taylor Harwood-Bellis. Although it has been rumoured that Porto and Burnley are keen to sign him, Harwood-Bellis has pledged that he wants to get promoted back to the Premier League with Saints and be in contention for more England caps.
But Harwood-Bellis will need to nail down a place in the Southampton starting oeleven first and their will be competition for places in his position. Joshua Quarshie and Joachim Kayi Sanda both impressed on Saturday while Ronnie Edwards has not returned from international duty with the England Under-21s.
Saints fans could see central defenders going out on loan to make room in the squad. Will Still may need to take matters into his own hands by deciding quickly who to put his faith in.