Southampton remain firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion this season and could find themselves back in the Premier League next season.
Russell Martin‘s side have been written off by many but with their two games in hand on promotion rivals Ipswich Town and Leeds United, they have every chance of a top-two finish.
Notwithstanding that, if they fail to go up this term and remain a Championship outfit, there could be a few surprise exits in the transfer window.
As seen with Leicester City in recent weeks, the leagues are cracking down on Profit and Sustainability breaches, so for the good of the club, Saints may have to sanction some big-money sales, anyhow.
Here are three players that could potentially move on in the summer.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Kyle Walker-Peters is widely considered one of the best players in the Championship and Martin has been full of praise for the former Tottenham Hotspur defender ever since he arrived.
The ‘talented’ Walker-Peters attracted interest last summer and there were many who wondered if he’d stick around in the Championship.
If Southampton fail to go up, he’ll likely be the first player to be sold given he could demand a substantial transfer fee, likely in excess of £20m.
Adam Armstrong
Having joined in 2021 from Blackburn Rovers, Adam Armstrong‘s Southampton career got off to a slow start, but he’s been ripping it up in his third season.
The Newcastle-born striker has registered double figures in goals and assists in the Championship, only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Gabriel Sara can match that feat.
Naturally, as one of the most prolific forwards in the division, his next step will be trying to cut it back in the top-flight, so it’s imperative Southampton gain promotion, or else he could be off.
Samuel Edozie
Samuel Edozie is a supremely talented young winger having been nurtured and developed in Manchester City’s prestigious academy.
The 21-year-old has impressed this term, netting six goals whilst laying three assists across 25 appearances in the Championship.
Yet, he’s only started 15 league games and has often appeared on the substitutes bench.
So perhaps he may feel in order to further his career, a loan move could be the best option in the summer.
He won’t want another year playing a bit part role and many clubs in the upper end of the Championship would likely be desperate to add his quality to their attacking ranks.