Southampton, Burnley & Portsmouth in £0 transfer hunt for ex-Brighton winger | OneFootball

Portsmouth, Burnley and Southampton are among five Championship clubs eyeing a move for Solly March

Portsmouth and Southampton are among the Championship clubs chasing the signature of former Brighton wide player Solly March.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the likes of Burnley, Watford and Wrexham are also interested in signing the 32-year-old.

March is currently available as a free agent following his exit from the Seagulls earlier this summer with the end of his contract.

The winger spent 13 years as a core member of the first team squad after coming through the Sussex outfit’s academy system, making 300 appearances in that time, helping them become an established top flight club.

However, he played just four times in the Premier League last season, coming off the bench on each occasion.

And the decision on the next step in his career won’t need to be made before the September 1 deadline due to his free agency, albeit clubs will need to leave space within their squad lists to make it happen.

Solly March attracts interest from Championship quintet

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It’s believed that there are five Championship sides currently competing for the signature of March.

However, Crystal Palace have also held discussions with the player since his exit from Brighton and could also swoop.

It’s understood that rivals Southampton and Portsmouth have both held talks with the winger, as they look to compete for the 32-year-old’s signature.

Wrexham, Burnley and Watford have also made contact with the forward, but it remains unclear what the next step will be for March’s future.

The former Brighton star also has interest from the Saudi Pro League, meaning he has plenty of options on the table.

Palace are keen to add a number of players to their squad before the market closes, and that could yet include March.

However, no decision is needed on his future by then, as he can be registered outside of the transfer market due to being a free agent.

How Southampton fans feel about potential Solly March signing

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Southampton fans have questioned the idea of signing someone who is now 32-years-of-age.

The Saints have been told that they need to avoid players who are now past their best.

March’s wages have also been cited as a potential problem, and it could be a stumbling block to completing a deal.

However, some supporters have claimed that it would hurt to lose out to the signing of anyone if it meant they instead went to Portsmouth.

Solly March signing could be a shrewd move at Championship level despite injury history

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There are five Championship sides eyeing a move for March, and he could be a promising addition to each of them.

While there are obvious concerns over his fitness, given the fact he's suffered two serious knee injuries since October 2023, limiting his matches played since then to just 14 in all competitions, and his wage package should perhaps reflect those concerns, he still has a wealth of Premier League experience.

March has worked under top coaches at Brighton, including Graham Potter, Roberto de Zerbi and Fabian Hurzeler, and he knows what it takes to compete at the highest level of English football.

He is not someone that could be relied upon to play every week due to his knee troubles perhaps, but someone of his quality could still do quite well with limited minutes in the Championship - it's hard to see him heading to Crystal Palace at this stage of his career, so a second tier club should really be swooping.