Southampton urged to sell player whose "not been at it" but warned against Shea Charles exit | OneFootball

Southampton have started the 2025/26 campaign poorly

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…

Southampton have failed to impress upon their return to the Championship.

The Saints suffered a dismal time in the Premier League last term, winning just two matches all season to become statistically the division’s second-worst ever side, scoring one more point over 38 games than the infamous Derby County side of 2007/08.

This naturally led to relegation, but the South Coast outfit’s form hasn’t spiked since operating out of the second-tier.

Will Still’s side sit 17th in the standings after nine matches, which isn’t what many people would’ve predicted heading into the season.

Southampton have won just two games in that time and have already drawn on multiple occasions, leaving them miles behind league leaders Coventry City.

Despite the 2025/26 campaign still being in its relatively early stages, clubs will already be planning for the future, with a keen eye on preparations for the January transfer window.

Still and Co. could look to add some extra firepower to their squad in an attempt to convert more of their stalemates into victories. This would therefore result in more points on the board and boost their chances of pushing for promotion.

The Saints may also be tempted to cash in on some of their talent in order to raise funds for new recruits. When queried on this matter, Football League World’s Southampton fan pundit, Martin Sanders, highlighted two players who he thinks could exit St. Mary’s in January.

St. Mary’s exits predicted for Southampton duo in January transfer window

“I think it'd be Taylor Harwood-Bellis,” stated Martin.

“I’m not sure what return we can get on him, because he's not really played a lot. He's not been great.

“He's not been at it. He's probably the player with the most value now. It sounds mad to me saying that because we've got better players than him.

“Shea Charles, there are going to be people knocking on the door for him. He's not got long left on his contract. But I don't think they'll sell him.

“I think it'd be pretty stupid to sell him. It will be intriguing to see how it unravels.”

Taylor Harwood-Bellis would be the more sensible sale for Southampton

Despite impressing in the past, Harwood-Bellis has struggled to perform this season under Still.

The 23-year-old has made just five league appearances for the Saints, with a centre-back pairing of Nathan Wood and Joshua Quarshie preferred in recent weeks.

Therefore, it makes sense to cash in on Harwood-Bellis in January, as he may still command a hefty transfer fee. According to Transfermarkt, the defender is valued at £19.2 million, making him the most valuable player in Still’s squad.

Charles, on the other hand, has been a regular starter for Southampton this season, impressing throughout with his mature performances.

It would make much less sense to sell the Northern Irish international, given that he plays a much more important role in the Saints’ current squad.

The South Coast outfit may not want to make a major sale in January, but if it's between Harwood-Bellis and Charles, cashing in on the former seems like the wiser choice.