4 players that Southampton FC could move on in January ft Samuel Edozie | OneFootball

A look at a few players that Southampton should try to move on in the January transfer window.

We are in between the two 2025/26 transfer windows but that doesn’t mean significant planning is being done by the vast majority of EFL clubs – and Southampton should be preparing to try and be very busy, once again, in the January market.

It has been a woeful start to the campaign for Southampton, following their humiliating relegation from the Premier League last season, and the pressure is growing on English-Belgian coach Will Still.

The former Lens and Stade de Reims boss has overseen Saints winning just two of their opening 11 matches of the campaign with a recent 3-1 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate leaving them languishing in the bottom-half of the Championship table.

Saints were extremely busy in the summer with plenty of key first-team departures but there were also some notable names that remained at the club that should be looking to move in this winter – and Southampton must oblige with that.

Here are four first-teamers down on the south coast that should be moved on from St Mary’s in January.

4 ? ? Joe Aribo

At the start of this season, it was reported that Joe Aribo had been left out of the Southampton squad in order to try and finalise a move elsewhere but the former Rangers midfielder ended up remaining at the club.

He has gone on to remain left out of the squad by Saints and Still and, at the age of 29, for himself, a move away is pivotal but, financially, the club also have to remove his wage from the books, let alone try and get any sort of fee for him.

It is reported that the Nigeria international is earning a staggering £70,000 per week, according to Capology, and he is very much surplus to requirements for Saints.

The financial situation of Southampton is again a prominent reason for why Damion Downs should at least be loaned out in January, following a very poor start to his career in England.

The German-born United States international moved to Southampton for a fee believed to be in the region of £7 million from Cologne after a reasonable campaign in the 2. Bundesliga.

However, he has failed to score in nine appearances across all competitions thus far for Southampton and naturally finds himself below the likes of Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong and Ross Stewart in the pecking order.

A move away is required for Downs to re-inflate his value, whilst also finding some form and fluency with regular minutes, which he cannot get at Saints due to his own lack of quality thus far and the competitive nature of the Southampton squad.

2 ? ? Samuel Edozie

Much like Joe Aribo, Manchester City academy graduate Samuel Edozie was also left out of the early weeks of this season to force a move away but, again, that move never came to fruition.

The 22-year-old Lewisham-born winger spent last season out on loan at Anderlecht and it was reported over the summer that he was very keen on a move to fellow Belgian giants Club Brugge.

The former England youth international has instead stayed put and, like Aribo, isn’t a part of Saints’ plans and, like Aribo, having someone of that status and profile not a part of what is already a bloated squad is just not financially feasible, not does it help with generating the cohesion that a promotion-chasing outfit would require.

1 ? ? Ross Stewart

This one is slightly different to the rest because Ross Stewart has shown signs of reigniting his career with Southampton in the early stages of the season but his departure may remain inevitable.

If Saints are to back manager Will Still ahead of all else then Stewart would appear a casualty of that with the Scotsman not necessarily being the best bit for his style of play, despite occasionally starting and even scoring so far this season.

As a result, a January sale could be the best solution for all parties with the former Sunderland striker out of contract in the summer and Saints needing to generate some income from his sale, especially as he is now missing through injury before the window.