Southampton and their new manager, Will Still, will be looking to regroup and plot a promotion-winning campaign in 2025/26, but their former manager, Russell Martin, could throw a spanner in the works.
Despite Southampton’s awful showing in the Premier League in 2024/25, there is still hope they can be a force to be reckoned with in the Championship next term.
Appointing Will Still is a great start, with the highly-rated coach finally ready to make his name in the EFL after a strong showing in France over the last few years.
However, Championship fans don’t fancy Southampton to have much of an impact in the coming season, and given Russell Martin’s latest transfer plans, the Saints could find it even more difficult.
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Russell Martin wants to sign Flynn Downes, but it won’t be easy
We had already predicted that Martin may look at Southampton players for his new project at Rangers, and it appears he’s wasting no time in raiding his former club.
According to a report from Alan Nixon, Southampton starlet Flynn Downes is the first name Martin wants to bring in to Ibrox, but he will find it difficult to facilitate the move.
Martin has already worked with Downes twice — during his time at Swansea and having signed him for Southampton from West Ham — but he’s looking to make it third time lucky.
Statistics Flynn Downes 2024/25
Appearances 29
Minutes 2,252
Pass success 90.4%
Tackles and interceptions/90 3.38
Clearances/90 2.13
Touches/90 56
Data via FBRef
It is thought Downes himself would potentially like the idea of a move to Scotland rather than playing in the Championship, but Southampton will be demanding at least £10m for the 26-year-old.
Apparently, that would be a huge chunk of Martin’s budget at Rangers, and the fact he needs to add five or six players to his squad makes it difficult to see the deal for Downes working out financially.
Still, Martin has previously praised Downes as a “really, really good” player for Southampton, and he will surely be eager to find a way to make this transfer happen.
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Southampton have to keep hold of best players for 2025/26 campaign
Southampton drop down to the Championship with a squad that should be more than capable of competing at the top of the division next season.
In many ways, they have some of the best players in the Championship already at their disposal, with the likes of Downes, Tyler Dibling, and Mateus Fernandes being joined by Ronnie Edwards and Shea Charles who enjoyed great loan spells this season.
The only issue for Southampton now is to keep that squad intact. Fernandes is wanted by Premier League clubs, Dibling has long been touted for a big move, and now Downes could be off.
Southampton’s budget for next season is tricky to ascertain at this stage, with big wages causing problems for the Saints. With that in mind, selling players may well be key.
Regardless of what happens this summer, we’re still confident Southampton will be promotion contenders; it’s all about how they replace those big names if and when the transfers come to fruition.