What Divin Mubama said after signing for Southampton may hand West Brom & Wrexham boost | OneFootball

Divin Mubama has indicated who he'll be challenging for the starting striker role at Southampton, and there are some key omissions

Southampton have secured the season-long loan arrival of Divin Mubama, and his first interview for the club has indicated that some departures at the top end of the pitch are imminent at St Mary's.

Tonda Eckert's side are having to be a little more wary of their finances this summer, with their Premier League parachute payments decreasing this season and then leaving altogether this time next year if they are still a Championship club.

So, alongside adding to a squad that posted the best record in the division in 2026 to better their shortcomings last season, personnel who didn't play much of a part in that impressive run, whether that's due to being out on loan or unfavoured, will likely be shipped out to try and raise funds.

Cameron Archer has been linked with a move away, with Wrexham and West Brom both holding interest, while Ben Brereton Diaz is expected to leave, and Damion Downs' future is uncertain, too.

Divin Mubama hints at Southampton striker direction when discussing new role

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Southampton has been chosen by Manchester City as the next club to oversee the development of one of England's brightest young strikers and one of the most prolific youth team goalscorers in recent memory.

Mubama scored five times in 26 appearances for Stoke City in his first loan spell before an ankle ligament injury in January all but curtailed his season. The 21-year-old would make just one more appearance before the end of the campaign.

The England Under-21 international has joined Southampton, where he'll challenge with Canadian frontman Cyle Larin for the sole striker role.

Last season under Tonda Eckert, the Saints found joy in rotating both Larin and Ross Stewart, who has since departed the club at the end of his contract to join Swansea City. Mubama comes in almost as a Stewart replacement, despite there being other strikers on the books.

"I think there's me and Cyle in the building now," Mubama told Southampton's in-house team. "It'll be good for me to push him and for him to push me.

"Competition like that is always healthy, and in a team like this, you know you're always going to get chances."

Cameron Archer, Ben Brereton Diaz and Damion Downs face uncertain future following Divin Mubama omission

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The fact that Mubama hasn't mentioned the other strikers currently in the building at St Mary's, and the fact that they've been chosen by Manchester City to oversee his development, implies that the majority of the minutes up top will be shared by Larin and the new loanee.

With Lewis Dobbin also through the door earlier in the window, who can play as a striker if needed, to deputise as a last resort, the future at Southampton for the likes of Archer, Brereton Diaz and Downs looks very uncertain.

Brereton Diaz's time on the South Coast seemed to be coming to a close regardless of new additions; having spent the last 18 months out on loan with Sheffield United and Derby County, the latter of whom are keen on bringing him back to Pride Park.

Meanwhile, Archer, as mentioned, has admirers from West Brom and Wrexham, and Downs spent the latter half of last season out on loan and has struggled in pre-season this summer, too, picking up an injury against Paderborn.

With none of those three being mentioned by Mubama, plus the need to sell some of the deadwood in the coming weeks, it may only be a matter of time before the striker core is a little lighter at St Mary's.

Divin Mubama move opens door for Cameron Archer to leave Southampton

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While it won't be a surprise to see all three leave Southampton before the end of the month, the likeliest departure, or at least the one that may happen first, does seem to be Archer.

The 24-year-old likely would have been earmarked for a move as soon as last season ended, after he failed to make it off the bench in either of the Saints' play-off semi-final legs against Middlesbrough.

Archer was used sparingly off the bench under Tonda Eckert, but did offer a flurry of goal involvements in the run-in, scoring two and assisting three in his final six Championship appearances.

Unfortunately, little flurries of quality have been the story of the 24-year-old's career recently. That 11-goal in a 20-game stint at Middlesbrough back in 2023 seems a very long time ago, and the three years since have seen him leave for big fees but fail to score more than four league goals in a campaign.

Likely, his departure won't see Southampton bring in the £15 million they spent on him in 2024, and it definitely wouldn't see them recoup £18 million, like Aston Villa did when they sold him to Sheffield United off the back of that Boro spell.

But, at 24, there's still the scope for that potential to be realised. Whether it's Wrexham, West Brom or elsewhere, whoever lands him will hope he can revitalise his career with them.