Southampton will likely need to be in the market for a new striker this summer.
If promotion had been won, and the nightmare of Spygate hadn't come to the surface, the Saints would've been welcoming Cyle Larin into the camp permanently after he scored an electric eight goals from only ten Championship starts during the regular season.
Unfortunately, Southampton's expulsion from the playoffs has thrown a considerable spanner in the works regarding the Canadian's return, with Ross Stewart's contract also expiring, creating another dilemma that needs to be solved pronto.
You would think, with all these issues in the striker department, that Ben Brereton Diaz might be given a chance to strut his stuff at St. Mary's, but this appears to be unlikely, with the Chilean looking for another EFL club to call home this summer.
Brereton Diaz on the move this summer
The entire 2025/26 season saw Brereton Diaz line up for Derby County on loan, instead of sticking it out at Southampton.
This summer, it looks as if the Saints are prepared to ditch the ex-Blackburn Rovers attacker for good, despite some promising performances leading the line for the Rams, with SportsBoom reporting that the South Coast club will sell if the right price comes along.
With Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, and West Bromwich Albion reportedly keen on striking up a deal, it will be intriguing to see what the next onward destination is for the 6-foot-1 marksman. Safe to say, the Saints won't be giving him up to Boro easily...
With all this interest in his services popping up, Southampton will have to hope they don't regret parting ways with Brereton Diaz, as when he's firing on all cylinders, he is a force to be reckoned with in the Championship.
Will Southampton regret this sale?
In Southampton's shoes, though, they have never managed to get the best out of Brereton Diaz, and are likely frustrated with their misfiring number 17.
15 games have passed the 27-year-old by on the South Coast without a single goal to show for his troubles, but he does boast 64 goals in the Championship across his well-travelled playing days, away from playing at St Mary's.
A huge chunk of those goals came when Brereton Diaz was Blackburn's leading marksman, with a stunning 22 strikes falling into his back pocket during the 2021/22 season, from only 37 league appearances.
Brereton Diaz's Championship record by club:
Club | Games | Goals / Assists |
|---|---|---|
Blackburn | 160 | 45 / 13 |
Nottingham Forest | 53 | 8 / 7 |
Derby County | 40 | 7 / 3 |
Sheffield United | 17 | 4 / 3 |
With a respectable seven goals next to his name this season just gone with John Eustace's men, there must be a part of Brereton Diaz who wants to show to the Saints that he does belong at the club, with four goals also coming his way during a brief loan stint in the division with Sheffield United in 2024.
In Southampton's current state, however, with fans disgruntled, it would be an almighty risk giving the 42-time Chile international another opportunity, and he flounders once more.
Therefore, the best possible move is to cash in, arguably, but Southampton will pray he doesn't go on to the likes of Boro and becomes their star striker, while the Saints languish in the lower regions of the gruelling division.
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