Southampton face a busy summer regardless of whether they are promoted.
The Saints have one league game left to play before the play-offs will decide their fate.
Russell Martin will be desperate to secure an instant return to the Premier League for the club in his first season in charge.
Whilst a run of three consecutive defeats has seen the automatic promotion dream fizzle out, Southampton must pick themselves back up for the huge play-off fixtures.
What division the club are in will have massive implications on their transfer business.
However, there are a number of players who could leave regardless of whether Southampton make the step up to the Premier League or remain in the Championship.
The Southampton players out of contract this summer
The two players most likely to leave are unquestionably Che Adams and Alex McCarthy.
The pair are both out of contract in the summer, with no indication they will be signing new terms.
Adams has been constantly linked with a move away for the past two seasons and the club have accepted he will move on following the conclusion to the season.
McCarthy had not been in the picture all season, with Joe Lumley taking up the role of second goalkeeper.
However, intriguingly, when first-choice ‘keeper Gavin Bazunu suffered an achilles injury in the warm up for the 3-0 win over Preston, it was McCarthy who came in over Lumley despite the fact the 34-year-old had not even been named in the matchday squad.
McCarthy has played ever since and will have a big role to play in the play-offs, but once that is over he will depart the club as a free agent.
32-year-old Stuart Armstrong also sees his deal expire in the summer, but his situation is less clear cut.
Armstrong has been an influential figure this season and had played in all but one league fixture prior to suffering a season-ending injury against Cardiff City.
The injury was not as bad as first feared, with fans concerned after seeing Armstrong stretchered off, but he will miss the play-offs.
Whilst it is very possible the Scotland international has played his last game for the club, given the impact he has had for Martin’s side this season it would not be a shock to see Southampton offer the former Celtic man another year on his contract.
Southampton players out on loan likely to move on
Southampton have massively utilised the loan market this season.
In order to balance the books after relegation last summer, the Saints have opted to take the maximum number of players possible on loan.
Ryan Fraser, Flynn Downes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Joe Rothwell and David Brooks are all at the club temporarily.
However, it is not just players coming in on loan but those who are playing elsewhere whilst still owned by the club that could exit.
Many of these are players unlikely to have a St Mary’s future but whom the club could not find a buyer willing to pay a satisfactory fee for last summer.
Therefore, Southampton were forced to agree loan deals so that they could at least get the players’ significant wages off of the books for a season and free up space in the squad.
There are currently seven senior players out on loan, with Paul Onuachu, Duje Caleta-Car, Lyanco, Romain Perraud, Mateusz Lis and Armel Bella-Kotchap all joining their respective loan clubs in the summer and Carlos Alcaraz agreeing a shock loan move to Juventus in January.
it is arguable that all of these players except Mateusz Lis have no future at Southamtpon.
Lis is on loan at Southampton’s sister club Goztepe and Southampton may want to take a look at the 27-year-old in pre-season with Bazunu likely to be out for a prolonged period.
Onuachu is wanted by loan club Trabzonspor for whom he has scored 12 league goals, but Southampton will want to recoup the bulk of the £18 million they paid for the striker which could make a deal difficult.
Bella-Kotchap is unlikely to be short of suitors despite an injury-ravaged season at PSV.
Caleta-Car could see Lyon make his deal permanent, whilst Perraud will likely find a home in France.
Lyanco is playing in Qatar having seen a permanent move to Besiktas frustratingly fall through late in the day last summer.
Juventus have an option to buy included in the loan deal for Alcaraz but are expected to either try and negotiate a lower fee or pass up the opportunity to sign the Argentine altogether.
Kyle Walker-Peters could leave Southampton this summer
Now to the players who have been at the club this season but may move on in the summer, whether that be because they want to or the club wish to move them on.
Firstly, is Kyle Walker-Peters.
The right-back was Southampton’s sole representative in the EFL Championship Team of the Season and will undoubtedly leave if the club fail to get promoted.
The 27-year-old was the subject of interest from Chelsea in January but chose to see this season through in the hopes of helping the Saints to a return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Manager Martin has previously labelled Walker-Peters a “beautiful footballer”, but accepts the full-back will be forced to move on for the sake of his career if the club remain in the Championship.
Harwood-Bellis has been one of Southampton’s most reliable performers this season but the terms of his loan deal from Manchester City stipulate Southampton have an obligation to buy the defender for £20 million only if they are promoted.
If Southampton fall short then Harwood-Bellis returns to the Premier League champions and will likely be sold.
However, given the 22-year-old’s ability it it unthinkable he will be playing in the Championship next season, meaning Southampton will have see the last of the England under-21 captain in their shirt.
In terms of players Southampton could actively look to sell, Kamaldeen Sulemana is top of the list.
The Ghanaian only joined the club on January transfer deadline day last season and is the club’s record signing at £22 million.), but he has failed to score a single Championship goal and has barely featured in the second-half of the season.
The former Rennes winger has been hugely disappointing and Southampton are likely to have to accept a significant loss on Sulemana.
Sekou Mara may have used up the last of the club’s patience with a dismal display when given the chance to start against Stoke City last time out.
The 21-year-old has been constantly linked with a loan move elsewhere over the past year or so and Southampton may feel this summer is the time to capitalise on that interest and push for a permanent exit.
If you are optimistic and assume Southampton do manage to get promoted via the play-offs, we can assume that Harwood-Bellis and Walker-Peters stay at the club.
If Stuart Armstrong also agrees a new deal, as his form has deserved, then we could realistically see nine players leave the club without even taking into account the five players at the club on loan this season.