Southampton look good for another finish in the top half of the Premier League table this season. Things did not start well for the Saints under new boss Claude Puel, after the departure of Ronald Koeman to Everton, but they have managed to stick together and now look set to finish the season strongly.
A top half finish along with a runners-up position in the EFL Cup does account for a decent season for Southampton in Puel’s debut season, the club and the manager will be keen on bettering their performances for the next campaign. Considering this, a restructuring of the squad over the summer transfer window will be vital.
There are several areas that Southampton will want to strengthen over the course of the summer while there may well be some exits from the St. Mary’s as well. Here are two transfer ins and outs that should happen at Southampton in the upcoming window:
Over the past few years, it has become somewhat of a trend that the south coast club loses some of their best talents to bigger clubs. And it promises to be no different this season as star defender Virgil van Dijk looks destined to be on the way out at the end of the season.
The Dutchman has grown into one of the best centre-halves in the Premier League over the past couple of years after he joined the Saints from Celtic and has garnered huge amount of interest from almost all heavyweights in England. According to Manchester Evening News, Manchester City are in the race for the signature of Van Dijk, despite him haven’t played for close to three months due to an injury.
While the Saints would love to see Van Dijk stay at the club for another season, the fact that the player has outgrown the club and doesn’t see himself with them next term means that they will be forced into selling him. However, they stand to make a huge profit from his sale as Southampton are not willing to consider any offer less than their £50million valuation of the player.
The 27-year old Englishman has had another frustrating season at the St. Mary’s that has been blighted by injury problems and inconsistent displays.
Rodriguez has just 8 league starts to his name this season and has made 32 appearances in total across all competitions, scoring just 5 goals and chalking up 2 assists. With Manolo Gabbiadini, Charlie Austin, Shane Long all ahead of him in the pecking order, it is not surprising that the player seems to have grown frustrated with the lack of opportunities under Puel.
At 27, he still has plenty of football left in him and will attract quite a few suitors. With him being a mere squad player at the club, Southampton would be better off letting him go in the summer while they can make some profit from the player’s sale.
With Virgil van Dijk looking likely to leave the club in the summer, his departure will leave a huge hole in the Southampton backline. One man who they could look at, to fill the vacancy is on-loan Torino defender Pontus Jansson, who currently plays for Leeds.
The 26-year old Swedish international has been one of the finest defenders in the EFL Championship this season and has been one of the best players for Garry Monk’s side. Jansson has made 35 appearances across all competitions this season and has chipped in with 3 goals and 3 assists. A tall and a strong presence at the back, Jansson has the ability to carry the ball out of defence and possesses a decent range of passing as well, making him an ideal fit for the Saints.
The Swansea City attacker has been of interest for Southampton for quite a few years now and with the Welsh outfit on the verge of relegation, this could prove to be the perfect opportunity for the Saints to swoop in at the end of the season.
Over the past year or so, Sigurdsson has developed into one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League and has been the sole bright spot in a season full of disappointment for the Swans. The Icelandic international has 8 goals and 12 assists from his 34 league games this season and has been the primary reason why Swansea are still in the fight to avoid the drop.
At 27, Sigurdsson has his best years ahead of him and Southampton will hugely benefit by having someone of his quality in their ranks. If Swansea do get relegated, a chance for Premier League football could prove to be the clincher for the Saints to sign Sigurdsson in the summer.
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