In what could be a sequel to last summer’s Exodus, Southampton FC look set to empty the cupboard yet again. Key players Morgan Schneiderlin, Nathaniel Clyne, and Jay Rodriguez have all been linked with moves away from the South Coast.
Along with these three, others on the Southampton roster have been named in potential moves away at one time or another. It now appears that last summer’s exodus may have only been the beginning for the Saints.
Morgan Schneiderlin
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The most likely to leave Southampton is midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin. During the previous summer, Schneiderlin attempted to force a move away from Southampton, to no avail.
The Frenchman now appears set to leave the South Coast this summer with European giants Arsenal and Barcelona set to battle for the midfielder’s signature. It has been rumored that Schneiderlin has agreed to terms with Arsenal while the clubs negotiate on a sale price.
During his three top flight seasons at Southampton, Schneiderlin has improved every year. Only 25-years old, the French international has the ability to fill holes in the Arsenal midfield for many years to come.
Nathaniel Clyne
Southampton’s star right back Nathaniel Clyne remains a coin flip away from staying or leaving the Saints. The English international is rumored to be having make-or-break talks with Southampton over a possible contract extension.
Should these talks fall apart, it will not be long before the vultures begin to circle once more. English giants Liverpool and Manchester United are both rumored to be interested in signing the star full back.
While Liverpool led the charge against the Saints last summer, Manchester United have the opportunity to reunite Clyne with his former fullback teammate, Luke Shaw. Though Shaw has been a disappointment this season, reuniting him with the experienced Clyne would do well to rejuvenate the youngster.
Jay Rodriguez
Having not played in a competitive match in almost a year, Rodriguez has generated an extreme amount of buzz for a player that tore his ACL. Though expected back in training at the beginning of the season, manager Ronald Koeman still has no idea when Rodriguez will recover from the injury.
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Though he suffered a setback prior to Christmas, Rodriguez has drawn strong interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. While Spurs led the charge to sign the Englishman this past summer, no deal was reached.
With Southampton valuing Rodriguez at £20 million, a deal is not likely to be reached until the Englishman has returned to health. Should Southampton reduce their asking price, a sale could occur as soon as early summer.
Should these deals all go through, Ronald Koeman will be given a substantial amount of money to help improve the squad. Though, it appears that Southampton FC could begin to fall from grace, the side proved this season how it can rebuild with countless stars choosing to leave.
The Saints are in the running for Europe this season, should they qualify, it remains a possibility that these three key players will remain. However, if the same magic can be worked by Koeman this summer, I won’t lose much sleep over their sales.