Will Still to sanction £15k-a-week Southampton star's exit - Advanced talks underway | OneFootball

Southampton winger Sam Edozie is reportedly closing in on a switch to Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg

Southampton winger Sam Edozie is set to conclude his three-year stay at St Mary's Stadium, as he closes in on a permanent switch to Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.

As reported by Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri via X on Tuesday afternoon, Edozie is close to completing a move to Strasbourg with the two clubs in "advanced" discussions over his transfer away from the south coast.

The 22-year-old wide-man is poised to become the latest high-profile Southampton departure, with a number of players heading towards the exit door following the club's dismal relegation from the Premier League last season. This development has come shortly after defender Jan Bednarek sealed his move to FC Porto, joining the likes of Paul Onuachu, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Kyle Walker-Peters in leaving Southampton in recent times.

Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, is in talks over a move to Newcastle United, and the future of sought-after winger Tyler Dibling remains uncertain.

Following the appointment of Will Still, Southampton have made just two signings to date in the form of Damion Downs and Joshua Quarshie from FC Koln and Hoffenheim respectively, with more additions sure to be eyed ahead of September 1's summer transfer window deadline as the Saints bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Southampton will commence their 2025/26 Championship campaign with a blockbuster home clash against second-tier newcomers Wrexham next Saturday.

Southampton's Sam Edozie set to seal Strasbourg transfer switch

As per Tavolieri's latest update, Edozie is close to joining Strasbourg after being linked with a move away from Southampton for much of the summer, with discussions between the two sides now at an advanced stage. The potential fee for his services is unclear at this moment in time.

Edozie was strongly linked with Club Brugge alongside Russell Martin's Rangers, having spent the previous campaign on loan in Belgian's top-flight at Anderlecht, but Strasbourg now appear to have won the race for his signature.

Strasbourg, who are backed by Chelsea ownership group BlueCo, secured an impressive seventh-placed finish in the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season, earning qualification for the UEFA Conference League under the stewardship of ex-Hull City head coach Liam Rosenior.

Edozie's imminent move to France will see him reunite with former Saints winger Sam Amo-Ameyaw, who joined Strasbourg on loan back in January in a move which was made permanent this summer.

His stay at Southampton is now seemingly coming to a close, nearly three years after his reported £10 million move from Manchester City in September 2022.

Edozie, whose estimated £15,000-weekly contract still has two years to run, has endured a mixed spell with Southampton overall, as the talented winger displayed encouraging signs in the Saints' 2023/24 promotion-winning campaign via the play-offs by returning six goals and three assists from 34 league appearances but, either side of that season, was rarely trusted to make an impact at top-flight level and, it must be said, struggled to when afforded the opportunity

His time with Anderlecht last term was rather mixed, too, with Edozie contributing four goals and four assists in 32 outings for the Belgian giants.

Southampton FC have not seen Sam Edozie's full potential as Strasbourg switch nears

As Edozie edges ever closer to completing a permanent exit from Southampton, there is a school of thought that the club has not seen his full potential and the best was very much yet to come from a player who, at the time of his arrival, was billed as one of the most promising young wingers in the country.

It hasn't really worked out according to plan, of course, with just one fairly-promising season in the Championship to show for Southampton's investment in such an exciting, high-potential talent.

Saints supporters will wonder what sort of impact he could have made under Still in the Championship this term, fresh off the back of a full season playing top-flight football on the continent.

Southampton's loss, then, could be Strasbourg's gain if Edozie can fulfil his clear potential, with many subscribing to the notion that a lack of end product is the only real factor holding back the one-time Man City prodigy from really kicking on.