Rarely-seen Southampton FC star could hand Tonda Eckert surprise new weapon | OneFootball

Samuel Edozie has not been used by the Saints much this season, but he still has all the talent to be a real asset in the final months of 2025/26.

Southampton have had an extremely inconsistent season, but in recent weeks, they have slowly started to show why they were one of the early favourites for promotion back to the Premier League.

Tonda Eckert had a tough start to life at St. Mary's as the permanent gaffer, and despite facing pressure, he has come out the other side strongly and his team are now pursuing a play-off spot with the battle for the top six incredibly tight between several clubs.

However, there are still questions being asked of the Saints, and they need to utilise their depth in the closing months of the campaign if they are to finally push themselves towards the right end of the table and stay there. Now, Eckert must turn to a familiar face to help his team in this battle.

Southampton have not spent more than one season in the Championship since 2009, and they will be extremely keen to keep that run going with promotion and having more of an attacking threat is vital in helping the club do that. Yet, they don't have to look too far to find it.

Southampton must utilise Samuel Edozie more in the final months of the season

Samuel Edozie spent last season on loan at Belgian side RSC Anderlecht, and since returning to Hampshire, he has struggled with injury, leaving him in the reserves with neither Will Still nor Eckert selecting him to come into the squad.

However, that changed over the weekend, as the winger played the final 23 minutes of his side's 1-0 win over Watford. It was the 23-year-old's first minutes for the club in the league since a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in August 2024, and he looked extremely lively despite not registering a goal or an assist on his return.

While he has been forced to wait to get his chance for Southampton once again, he played a crucial role in their promotion campaign in 2023/24 under Russell Martin. The former Manchester City youth ace played 32 Championship games that season, scoring six times as well as picking up three assists.

Edozie has proven in the past that he has what it takes to be a dangerous operative at this level, and Eckert can ill-afford to let this talent go after a move abroad failed to materialise in the summer transfer window. This is an opportunity for the former England U20 international to prove himself once again.

Samuel Edozie came close to leaving Southampton in January

During the latter stages of the January transfer window, it was reported by the Daily Echo that Southampton would allow the winger to go to a club abroad, and The Telegraph stated that there were teams in both England and further out interested in his services.

However, just a week later any potential Saints exit was blocked by the Hampshire outfit as fellow Championship sides Derby County and Millwall pursued a deal for the youngster. Eckert's side did not like the idea of their player joining a rival, and only approaches from foreign clubs would be entertained.

Yet, Edozie remains at St. Mary's, and now he will be looking to impress his head coach and earn more minutes on the pitch. He has trained throughout the course of the campaign, although this has been away from the rest of the squad until recently.

This is the perfect situation for the 23-year-old, and if he can find some form in the coming weeks, then he may well just put himself in the shop window for the summer transfer. Alternatively, this could be the opportunity he needs to get his Southampton career kick-started once again.