Southampton must offload £30k-a-week star in January - He's too good to be sat on the bench | OneFootball

Southampton failed to agree a deal with QPR for Ronnie Edwards this summer, but they should look to offload him in January.

It was a busy summer of transfer activity for Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League.

Southampton endured a disastrous campaign last season as they were relegated from the top flight with a total of just 12 points to their name, and new manager Will Still oversaw a much-needed rebuild of the squad during the summer transfer window.

After a flurry of late transfer activity in the final stages of the window, the Saints ended the summer with a total of nine new signings, with George Long, Mads Roerslev, Elias Jelert, Joshua Quarshie, Caspar Jander, Finn Azaz, Tom Fellows, Leo Scienza and Damion Downs arriving at St Mary's.

There were also a number of high-profile departures, including Jan Bednarek, Mateus Fernandes, Tyler Dibling, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu, while Aaron Ramsdale, James Bree, Charlie Taylor, Will Smallbone and Ben Brereton Diaz were among those to make loan moves away from the club.

However, despite interest from Queens Park Rangers, Ronnie Edwards is one player who surprisingly remained with Southampton beyond the closure of the window, but with his game time likely to be limited this season, he may already be eyeing a January exit.

Southampton rejected Ronnie Edwards, QPR transfer advances after Loftus Road loan spell

After establishing a reputation as one of the most highly-rated defenders outside the Premier League, Edwards joined Southampton from League One side Peterborough United last summer for an initial fee of £3 million.

On paper, as a talented ball-playing centre-back, Edwards looked the perfect fit for then-manager Russell Martin's style of play, but he made just two appearances for the Saints in the first half of last season, with one coming from the start in the EFL Cup and the other as a late substitute in a 5-1 home defeat to Chelsea in the league.

It was, therefore, little surprise when Southampton opted to send Edwards out on loan in January, and after making the move to QPR, he immediately established himself in the starting line-up and soon became a firm fan favourite.

Edwards scored two goals in 22 appearances for the R's, impressing in both central defence and in an unfamiliar defensive midfield role, and while the West London outfit did not quite manage to make the progress up the table they would have hoped in the second half of the campaign, the 22-year-old did at least help them remain clear of any relegation danger.

Despite only being at Loftus Road for a few months, Edwards won the Hoops' Young Player of the Year award last season, and the club attempted to bring him back on a permanent basis this summer, but their bid was rejected by Southampton.

Edwards was said to be keen to make a return to QPR, but although talks between the clubs about a potential deal continued until the transfer deadline, they were unable to reach an agreement, and that has left him in a difficult situation at St Mary's.

Southampton may live to regret Ronnie Edwards, QPR transfer stance

The initial signs were positive for Edwards after his return to Southampton this summer as he started in the 2-1 victory over Wrexham on the opening weekend, but he has played just two minutes of football in the league since then after coming off the bench in the closing stages of the 2-2 draw at Watford on Saturday.

As things stand, it appears Edwards is Still's fifth-choice centre-back, with Jack Stephens, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood and Joshua Quarshie all ahead of him in the pecking order, and his only opportunities to start could come in the EFL Cup, but it is unlikely the Saints will be in that competition for much longer given they face a daunting trip to Liverpool in the next round.

Having proven his ability at Championship level during his spell at QPR, Edwards is far too good a player to be sitting on the bench, or even in the stands, on a weekly basis, and with Capology estimating the defender to be on £30,000-a-week at St Mary's, it makes little financial sense for the club to keep him around if he is not part of Still's plans.

QPR's bid may have fallen short of Southampton's valuation of Edwards, but his price tag is only going to decrease further if he is not playing regular football, and if clubs are aware that he is surplus to requirements on the South Coast, they will be reluctant to overpay for his services, so selling to the R's while his stock is high might have been the best option in hindsight.

However, the Saints have conceded six goals in their opening four league games, so, with their defence looking a little shaky, it is possible Edwards could be given a chance at some point during the season if their problems persist, and given his clear potential, it is understandable that the club may not want to cash in on him just yet.

With that in mind, another loan move could be the best option for all parties in January, and that would give Edwards the chance to show Still what he is capable of or potentially put himself in the shop window ahead of the summer.