The free agent Premier League defender Southampton have now missed out on

Jack Stephens and Nathan Wood stood strong as the makeshift Southampton centre-back partnership versus Stoke City on Saturday.

Ideally, on another day, they wouldn't have been breached when Ethan Galbraith prodded home the equaliser, but - for the most part - they kept the Potters quiet, with a combined ten tackles and duels won between the unlikely duo.

Of course, Tonda Eckert would have loved to play Taylor Harwood-Bellis as one part of this pairing, but it seems likely that the one-time England international will be following in Shea Charles' footsteps in moving to the Premier League, with Aston Villa interested.

Relying on Stephens and Wood to keep delivering is a risky move, if Harwood-Bellis does up and leave, with the 32-year-old already getting under the skin of the Saints fanbase this season with a catalogue of errors against Watford.

Wood has never quite been able to nail down a starting spot since joining in 2024, too, so a new signing would surely be on the cards, if the Stockport-born warrior were to move to the Midlands.

Southampton might have had their tentative eye on this target, who is a free agent currently, but he's set to don a different Championship club's red and white strip instead...

The free agent defender the Saints will miss out on

It hasn't been an explicit link per se, but Daily Echo journalist Alfie House - when discussing centre-back additions - did flag Adam Webster's name as a potential signing.

The 31-year-old is well-known among South Coast audiences for his lengthy spell with Brighton and Hove Albion, with Webster going on to make 158 appearances for the Seagulls, before being released.

Therefore, it isn't the wildest shout to suggest Eckert and Co. might have had a look, but it appears that the 6-foot-3 centre-back has decided he'd rather uproot North for his next move.

Indeed, it is being reported that Webster will line up under Chris Wilder very soon at Sheffield United, with Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall stating on Saturday evening that the final details are now being finalised for the £0 defender to call Bramall Lane his next home.

It could be an excellent deal if all goes to plan, as Webster was once considered a £20m talent, but it's also a risky gamble.

Will they regret not making a move?

During his Brighton prime, Jamie Carragher - who knows a thing or two about the art of defending - would wildly note that "Webster's passing out from the back, with both feet, is better than any other English central defender."

Indeed, the 31-year-old is a very accomplished performer on the ball, with a 91% pass accuracy average and an 88% pass accuracy average registered across his last two Premier League campaigns.

During the 2022/23 season, in particular, he shone as Brighton finished in sixth spot in the Premier League, with eight clean sheets collected in league action from 27 appearances.

On his day, he is a cut above the second tier, with seven top-flight goal contributions next to his name.

Moreover, his ability to pass out from the back with ease would make him a suitable Harwood-Bellis successor.

Yet, at 31, now, it could be argued his best years are behind him, with injury troubles leading him down the unfortunate path of being a free agent pick-up by the Blades, instead of still succeeding at the very top with Fabian Hurzeler.

Webster would only manage 11 league starts during the 2024/25 season, due to problems with his hamstring and thigh, and then the 2025/26 season would be even more difficult to stomach, as he suffered a horrible anterior cruciate ligament injury.

To expect him to come into the Saints team and be at his immediate best again is a tall order, with Southampton perhaps better placed to look elsewhere to more expensive targets, knowing the injury-prone nature of Webster.

If the move to Bramall Lane goes by without a spanner in the works appearing, Webster will face Eckert's men in November, with the German either smug that he still has Harwood-Bellis at his disposal, or another defender has been purchased, after all that time has passed.

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