Reliable Southampton reporter Alfie House believes an "amazing" Saints player could secure a move away from the club during the summer transfer window.
Southampton's promotion hopes & transfer news
Saints are still primed to finish in the Championship playoff places at the very worst this season, with Russell Martin's side fourth in the division with 10 fixtures remaining. Their form has been more hit-and-miss of late, however, losing two of their last four league matches, losing ground on Leicester City, Leeds United and Ipswich Town in the process.
Southampton fans will hope that their summer plans in the transfer market revolve around their promotion back to the top flight, but either way, new faces could be needed to take the south coast outfit up another level.
Juventus midfielder Samuel Iling-Junior has emerged as a rumoured target for the club, with the youngster also wanted by a number of the Premier League clubs. For that reason, it is hard to see them persuading him to move to St Mary's if they are in the Championship next season.
He has managed 16 Serie A appearances for Juve this season, although only two of them have been starts, showing why he may be happy to enjoy a new challenge elsewhere.
Festy Ebosele has also been linked with a summer move to Southampton, with the Udinese ace capable of playing at right-back or right wing-back, not to mention making 38 Championship appearances during his time with Derby County.
Southampton could sell "amazing" star this summer
Speaking on the Total Saints Podcast [via Southampton F.C. News], House claimed that Kamaldeen Sulemana is likely to leave Southampton at the end of the season, with £10m potentially enough to snap him up:
"I do think looking at his situation and given how it hasn’t worked and I may be wrong, but I just can’t see a situation in which he’s still here next season for whatever reason. Whether that’s in the Premier League or in the Championship. I just feel there’s been such a, not a mismatch, I think that’s unfair, he’s had injuries and he hasn’t really had a run of games.
"I mean Ruben Selles didn’t play him even though they lost every game 1-0. But I just think the way it hasn’t worked out, I just think he’ll go for £10 million or whatever the club can get for him next summer, but I guess we’ll see."
Adam Armstrong
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Che Adams
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Ryan Fraser
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Samuel Edozie
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Sekou Mara
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Stuart Armstrong
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Losing Sulemana may well be far from ideal for Southampton, but as House alludes to, his time at St Mary's has been a disappointment overall, even though Martin has called him "amazing" recently.
A tally of just two goals and four assists in 39 outings for the Saints is a poor return, considering he is an attacking wide player, and to not have found the net in 20 Championship games this season is arguably not good enough despite his injury issues.
For that reason, cashing in on him in the summer could make sense, allowing Southampton to use the funds wisely on a superior replacement. His current deal doesn't run out until the summer of 2027, putting Martin's men in a strong bargaining position.