James Bree was a surprise standout performer for Southampton during the latter stages of the last Championship campaign.
At one stage that season, Bree looked like a goner at St. Mary's, having been chucked out on loan to work with his ex-Luton Town boss, Nathan Jones, who once held a position in the dug-out at the Saints.
It was a remarkable rise back into the first-team fold in 2026 for the 28-year-old, with 18 league games falling into his lap, with two goals and two assists also next to his name.
After he emerged into the first team conversation, Tonda Eckert's men looked unbeatable, with zero defeats coming their way with Bree in the starting XI.
Of course, this unbelievable unbeaten run has now been soured by the revelations that come to light via Spygate, but nothing can dampen Bree's sudden rise from reserve fodder, to guaranteed first team starter.
A new contract is yet to be agreed for the number 14 to stay put past this summer, though, as Dragan Solak continues to work tirelessly behind the scenes to tempt the rejuvenated defender to stay.
Will Bree stay?
It has been reported that Bree has been offered a "pretty competitive" new contract, as per the words of the Serbian, after breathing significant life back into his playing days at St. Mary's.
Solak must have his fingers crossed that the Wakefield-born full-back will put pen to paper on an extension, as he has a huge chance, now, of becoming the Saints' main starter in this position on the pitch.
There isn't a lot of competition that Bree will feel troubled by, with Southampton possessing the likes of Elias Jelert and Mads Roerslev as back-up options in the right-back department.
His second half of the campaign was so stellar, too, that Eckert will surely be champing at the bit to have him around him permanently, with this block in the playoffs against Middlesbrough, to deny Tommy Conway, just one standout moment of many.
CRUCIAL. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Gm6R97JVxo
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 10, 2026
Bree has also expressed his desire previously to stay rooted at Southampton, when past conversations emerged about a new deal, so the expectation will be that the number 14's extended contract will be announced soon.
If that is the case, the end of the road must be in sight for his forgotten defender.
The end of the road for this forgotten defender
You would be forgiven, with all the whirlwind news that has involved the Saints in recent weeks, if Yukinara Sugawara's first team presence at Southampton during the 2024/25 season had been omitted from your memory.
The Japanese full-back would make 30 appearances as the South Coast side finished rock bottom of the division. He wasn't entirely useless, though, as he did grab a goal and an assist for his troubles, with his solitary Saints goal to date coming against Brentford during only the third matchday of the season.
He would only last two games in the second tier this campaign before being loaned out to Werder Bremen, and while he has impressed in Germany with six assists from 31 games seeing him retain a spot in the Japan camp for the impending World Cup, he shouldn't be kept around at St. Mary's past this summer.
While he has some credit in his bank with Bremen, Southampton should look to cash in, with Bree - in a battle for a first team spot at the Saints - always winning ahead of Sugawara, if you're Eckert.
Reports from Germany indicate that Eckert and Co. would be willing to offload the 25-year-old for a lower fee than the £5.1m option, which is currently present in the loan-to-buy deal, so Bremen will surely be tempted to snap him up permanently.
Other suitors could be interested, too, if he goes on to have a standout World Cup with The Samurai Blue, as the Saints prepare to part ways with Sugawara, if Bree does stay put.
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