It felt telling, more than dramatic. Tonda Eckert’s words on Thursday carried the tone of someone drawing a line rather than offering reassurance. When asked about Gavin Bazunu’s future, the Southampton head coach described it as “a decision between the club and him,” before adding that it was important to “find the best option for him and for the club.” That is not the language of a goalkeeper about to be handed the gloves again.
The signing of Daniel Peretz changes the landscape completely. Southampton do not bring in a new goalkeeper in January, at this stage of the season, without consequence.
As Saints Marching has already explored in recent pieces on Peretz’s arrival, this move is not about padding out the squad. It is about addressing a position that had become a problem too big to ignore.
Bazunu's struggles have been ongoing, and enough is enough
Bazunu’s struggles have been well documented on Saints Marching. Confidence drained, mistakes crept in, and the relationship between goalkeeper and defence never quite settled.
None of that erases his talent, but it does explain why patience eventually runs out. Goalkeeping is a position built on trust, and once that trust goes, the reset usually happens elsewhere.
Eckert has been careful with his wording, but those comments felt significant. Framing Bazunu’s future as a shared decision suggests conversations are already under way.
When a head coach talks about “finding the best option” for everyone involved, it rarely points towards continuity, especially with a new number one now through the door.
Publicly, Eckert has refrained from throwing his goalkeeper under the bus and man-of-the-match performances at Birmingham and at home to Millwall might have saved his Southampton career if it wasn't for his performance at Middlesbrough.
Who is Southampton's number two goalkeeper?
That leaves the wider pecking order to consider. With Peretz arriving, George Long’s role becomes clearer. Long should now be viewed as Southampton’s number two goalkeeper. He knows the club, understands the dressing room, and offers reliability without drama.
Eckert has made no secret of his appreciation, describing Long by saying, “Longy is important to the group, and he will play his role in this season.” That does not sound like a player being edged out or sent back to Norwich.
For Bazunu, a fresh start may be the kindest outcome. Staying as third choice would help nobody. Saints Marching has previously argued that young goalkeepers need momentum as much as coaching, and right now that is unlikely to come at St Mary’s.
January brings clarity as well as change. Eckert did not announce an ending, but his words, combined with Peretz’s arrival, make the direction of travel hard to ignore. It would be a surprise now if Gavin Bazunu pulls on a Southampton shirt again.