Funny how a pre-season can shift the mood. Twelve months back, plenty of Saints had this striker down as a lost cause, yet here he is starting as the central striker in the Saints' first competitive match of the season.
What Eckert sees in him
Tonda Eckert didn't hold back when asked about Ben Brereton Diaz. "There's a lot of Championship teams that would love to have him," the coach said, nodding to two-hundred-and-seventy games at this level and sixty-four goals.
He's not wrong about the pull, either. Brereton Diaz played seventy-three minutes against SC Preussen Münster on the 1st August. A run-out against Colchester tonight now beckons after he shook off a knock.
The dressing room clearly likes him, too. Eckert talked up the forward's bond with teammates and the character he brings, which counts for plenty across a long promotion slog.
That respect is worth something in a group chasing promotion. A senior pro who lifts training and gets on with people carries value even before you count his goals.
— Saints Marching (@SaintsMarching1) August 8, 2026
The downside fans remember
Now, the flip side. This is the same £7m signing from Villarreal who never clicked at St Mary's, before heading out on loan to rebuild elsewhere.
The first loan barely got off the ground. A spell at Sheffield United brought no goal contribution across thirteen games, which had plenty of supporters ready to cut their losses.
Derby County went far better last season. Ben Brereton Diaz chipped in with eight goals and three assists, decent output that still left Saints Marching arguing his time was up.
The site has been openly sceptical. It flagged how he made his preference clear once suitors circled, then ran the keep, sell or loan debate with his name right at the top.
So why hand him minutes now? Because a fit Brereton Diaz gives a promotion push another Championship-proven option, and Eckert would be daft to waste one lying around.
Under contract until 2028, the forward hands Southampton every card. They set the price, they pick the buyer, or they simply keep a useful body for the season-long grind.
The market counts here as well. Championship clubs would happily take him off Southampton's hands, so even a strong month lifts his sale value rather than forcing Saints to keep him.
Nobody's calling him untouchable just yet. A strong showing against Colchester on Saturday would force plenty of doubters to rethink the write-off from just twelve months back.
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