Southampton are termed, almost ridiculously, the feeders of the Premier League. They generate great talents that go on to serve elsewhere. That has been the custom for a long time.
Some of the most recent names are Virgil Van Dijk, who went to Liverpool and won it all, Sadio Mane, who also moved to Merseyside and is now in the Middle East making good, Gareth Bale, Luke Shaw and others. These are some of the best names that the Saints developed in their backyard and sold to the big clubs.
But Southampton themselves have signed certain greats who did not need to go elsewhere to make their name. Rickie Lambert is one such player and Nathan Redmond is another.
Still, there are also names that Southampton nearly signed. They came very close or had significant leads but eventually could not land them. These missed signings pose significant what-if situations for the English side.
The 5 best players Southampton almost signed (but did not)
1. Didier Drogba
Yes, the Saints missed out on none other than Didier Drogba in 2003 because they were perhaps not convinced enough.
Former owner Rupert Lowe told The Athletic that he had a deal done for Drogba from Guingamp after receiving positive insights on his talent.
Terry Cooper, who was the scout at that time, closely monitored the Ivory Coast legend, only 25 years old then, and had submitted a detailed report recommending the signing to Lowe, which thoroughly convinced the owner.
“I had the deal lined up,” said Lowe. But the deal eventually fell apart because the manager Gordon Strachan’s own scout, Ray Clarke, was not convinced of Drogba’s touch.
“Ray came back and said that he was a good player but that he did not have a very good touch. We ended up not buying Drogba.”
Later, Drogba signed for Marseille and eventually became a legend at Chelsea. This remains the biggest blunder in the history of Southampton.
2. Florent Malouda
Malouda was paired with Drogba in the deal that Lowe had sealed as both were key to Guingamp’s success in the 2002-03 season.
What is even more ridiculous is that the deal Southampton had in place was for a mere 4 million pounds for both players. Even accounting for inflation, that is still pennies for Drogba and another world-class midfielder who achieved his own success in the Premier League.
At Chelsea, Malouda played on the wing and scored more than 40 goals throughout his time there. He was central to the Blues’ triumph in the Premier League and Champions League in 2012.
Imagine what the duo of Malouda and Drogba could have done for Southampton had they arrived first. Lowe believed the pair would have made a great signing as Malouda was the one making crosses for Drogba to score.
3. Cody Gakpo
Henrick Kraft, who stepped down as chairman in January this year, told The Athletic, “We tried very hard. We were very close and had at least two very high quality candidates who agreed personal terms. They were both playing in Champions League qualifiers, which pushed us very late in the window. For various reasons, they just did not happen.”
This was in 2022 when Cody Gakpo was one of the hottest young prospects, specifically due to his World Cup performance. Reports suggested Southampton were very keen to sign him and were big contenders to secure the Dutch forward.
According to Sky Sports, Southampton even offered PSV Eindhoven an increased fee after the initial bid was rejected. A close source told The Athletic that Southampton were the “most serious option” for Gakpo, but the club ultimately did not sell him.
Later, Gakpo joined Liverpool and won laurels that he might have brought to Southampton.
4. Goncalo Ramos
The second player Kraft referred to was likely Goncalo Ramos.
After his hat-trick in Lisbon, talks were held with Benfica’s president Rui Costa to explore a possible signing. A bid was thought to be in preparation, but the deal never materialized.
Ramos now plays for Paris Saint-Germain and was central in their first Champions League winning campaign. He is also expected to be a key player for Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ramos’s deal was perhaps less serious than Gakpo’s, but it was still an interesting prospect. Perhaps he would not have signed for Southampton anyway, or maybe he would have. We do not know, but it remains a missed opportunity.
5. Marcos Rojo
Marcos Rojo had a standout World Cup campaign with Argentina in 2014 when they came close to winning the trophy. Rojo was arguably their best defender in the tournament and attracted attention from across Europe.
Until very late in the transfer window, Southampton were leading the race to sign Rojo. They made a lucrative offer to Sporting Lisbon, and initial responses were positive.
However, boss Ronald Koeman said, “We are interested in Rojo, but the transfer is a question for the chairman and Les Reed.”
The move ultimately did not happen, and Rojo chose Manchester United, joining them for 16 million pounds. He later won four trophies with the club, including the Europa League in 2017.
Had Rojo come to Southampton, he would have immediately strengthened the backline alongside Jose Fonte. At the time, Southampton were serious contenders in the Europa League, and his experience from the World Cup would have been invaluable.
In the end, none of these signings materialized. These near misses remain significant what-if scenarios for Southampton fans to ponder.