Leeds United are forming their summer transfer shortlist early. Unfortunately for Southampton fans, it involves Kyle Walker-Peters.
For Southampton, the struggle hasn't involved signing good players; the Saints have done well with the limited budget available to them recently. However, keeping those players after developing them has remained a struggle.
For too long, Southampton have been tarnished under the brush of being a "feeder club." Of course, this can be looked at in one of two ways.
Those who look at a glass as being half-full will point to the fact that to feed the top clubs, Southampton must be a producer of fine talent. Those with a half-empty approach, though, will argue that there's no point in developing players if we can't keep ahold of them.
Unfortunately, another top talent produced by Southampton after being signed as a youngster could be on his way out in the summer transfer window.
Leeds United interested in signing Southampton’s best defender
According to a report from Ben Jacobs for Team Talk, Leeds United have begun preparing their summer transfer shortlist and are eyeing Kyle Walker-Peters.
It is not entirely surprising, considering Leeds have shown an interest in signing Kyle Walker-Peters before. Indeed, the Northern club were linked to KWP in the January transfer window. Just like their competitors, though, Southampton's asking price of £7m was too much for Leeds.
Context is needed here. Usually, £7m would be an absolute steal for a player of Kyle Walker-Peters' ability. However, considering he is only under contract at St Marys Stadium until the summer, clubs are acting more prudent to save that £7m fee.
So, Southampton can boast Kyle Walker-Peters, at least until the end of the season. Considering the vast improvement he has made since joining Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, it is unanimously accepted that the English full-back will leave the club at the end of this season.
If, by some miracle, Southampton avoid relegation and stay in the Premier League, then this might be reconsidered. However, it feels silly of me to even mention this as a likelihood. Sure, it's possible... but is it actually possible? Probably not.
Heading into both the January transfer window and the upcoming summer transfer window, the emphasis is on Taylor Harwood-Bellis. This is hardly surprising, given his potential, involvement in the England team and calibre of teams interested in signing him.
However, of the two, we must say that Kyle Walker-Peters would be the bigger loss for Southampton. It would be bittersweet to see him performing well in the Premier League next season, but it's deserved.