Southampton may be forced to sell a “fantastic” player during the summer transfer window for one key reason, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.
Southampton transfer news
The Saints have been in and around the automatic promotion picture in the Championship all season, but things have been threatening to peter out in recent weeks.
Russell Martin’s side have lost three of their last four league matches, seeing them drop to fourth place in the division and now five points adrift of Leeds United in second.
There are so many huge incentives for Southampton to return to the Premier League, from a boost in finances to the ability to sign better players, but it would also increase their hopes of retaining the services of some of their most important current stars.
Now, a key update has emerged regarding an individual who falls into that bracket, with his future still looking very much up in the air.
Kyle Walker-Peters could leave Southampton
Speaking to Football League World, Palmer said that Southampton could be forced to sell Kyle Walker-Peters this summer in order to receive a fee for him before his contract expires, reacting to the “rumours” on Tottenham having a buyback option and looking at a move.
“Rumours are circulating that Spurs might be looking to activate their buy-back clause for Kyle Walker-Peters. The buy-back clause is for £30 million. Southampton paid £12 million for Walker-Peters in 2020 after a successful loan. He’s done absolutely fantastic at Southampton – he’s had a brilliant season this season, and there are several other clubs interested in him.
“The Saints have a problem because his contract with the club expires in the summer of 2025. So, assuming that Southampton don’t make it back to the Premier League, he (likely) won’t sign a new deal, because he will want to play in the Premier League, and therefore, they may be forced to sell him. It remains to be seen whether they (Spurs) will activate that clause, or any of the other big clubs will go in for him. I could definitely see him moving in the summer, if Southampton don’t get back to the Premier League.”
In truth, there could be an inevitability about Walker-Peters moving on at the end of the season if Southampton fail to come straight back up from the Championship, with the right-back possibly unlikely to want to spend another year in the second tier of English football.
The fact that his contract is up in the summer of 2025 also means Saints may have to cash in on him, too, considering he could earn the club plenty of money, instead of leaving on a free transfer 12 months later.
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It was a Saturday to forget for the Saints.
The hope is that Martin is able to turn things around and inspire his side back into the Premier League, however, which feels like the only realistic chance of keeping hold of Walker-Peters beyond the summer.
