Midfielder tipped for Southampton FC exit - 'I don’t see a place for him' | OneFootball

FLW's Southampton fan pundit has given his verdict on Kuryu Matsuki's future at the club

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Kuryi Matsuki has struggled for game time since returning to Southampton in the summer.

The 22-year-old originally signed for the Saints in the 2024 summer transfer window, arriving from Tokyo FC.

But he spent last season on loan with Goztepe, who are linked to the Hampshire outfit through their shared ownership under Sport Republic.

He made 28 appearances in the Turkish Super Lig, including 10 starts, contributing two goals and four assists.

However, the midfielder has made just two appearances in the Championship so far this campaign, albeit he did also score in an EFL Cup victory over Norwich City in August.

Kuryu Matsuki departure claim

When asked about Matsuki’s future ahead of the January window, FLW’s Southampton fan pundit Martin Sanders claimed that the 22-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance during his time at the club but that an exit could be on the cards.

He’s unsure whether the Saints will be able to cash in on the player, and that a move away could be facilitated through the multi-club model.

“I think it’s an interesting one,” Sanders told Football League World.

“Matsuki’s a good player, he scored a good goal at Norwich, but looked a little lightweight when I saw him play.

“A lot of fans are kind of questioning why he’s not been involved.

“But the head coach Eckert sees him every day, has not really got him involved even with a bit of an injury shortage.

“Will they cash in on him? Potentially they could well do, or whether they use the multi-club model to move him onto another club within the network.

“But I don’t see a place for him, really, moving forward, to be totally honest.

“Will they make any money on him? I’m not quite sure, to be honest.

“He’s shown flashes of brilliance with that goal in the cup, but I’ve not seen enough of him to say that he’s better than what we’ve got.”

Matsuki made his debut for Southampton on 12 August, coming off the bench in a 1-0 win over Northampton in the EFL Cup.

He played his first league game just a few days later, again coming off the bench as the Saints drew 1-1 with Ipswich Town.

However, the midfielder has not featured for the Championship side since 30 August when he played the final stages of a 2-2 draw at Watford.

Matsuki has a contract with Southampton until the summer of 2028, meaning he is not at risk of departing the club as a free agent this season.

Kuryu Matsuki departure could make sense for all parties

There is no obvious need to push Matsuki out the exit door this January given his contract situation, but it might be the best for all parties regardless.

It’s clear that he is not part of Tonda Eckert’s plans, so he is just taking up a space in the squad without being needed.

If there is interest from elsewhere then a permanent sale would help the player to get his career back on track.

But, for now, perhaps a loan move might be the likelier option as he is more likely to have clubs interested in him if they can get a good look at him first before deciding on a permanent deal.