Southampton will lose Leo Scienza fear by winning Celtic transfer race | OneFootball

Southampton could find the ideal Leo Scienza replacement if the influential winger is to finalise permanent move away from St Mary's this summer.

Southampton will be looking to bounce back from a frustrating end to their 2025/26 season last term, as they were denied a shot at the Premier League.

The Saints were the in-form team throughout the second-half of the campaign, with manager Tonda Eckert gaining plenty of plaudits for his role in their rapid rise up the Championship table.

They finished fourth in the second-tier standings in the 2025/26 season, and booked their spot in the Championship play-off final after a win over Middlesbrough in their semi-final clash.

However, they were expelled from the play-offs after the 'spygate' saga, which previously left Eckert's role in charge hanging by a thread at St Mary's.

Southampton have stuck by their manager though, and will be hoping that they can build on the positive showings in the second-half of last season heading into the new league campaign, which gets underway in August.

Leo Scienza's future remains up in the air

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One player that caught the eye for all the right reasons last season with Southampton was Leo Scienza, in what was his first season in English football.

The winger was previously on the books with German side, 1. FC Heidenheim, where he impressed in his only year with the club during the 2024/25 season.

Scienza wasted no time in adjusting to the physical demands of English football, as he scored in his fourth league start, which came in a 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers in October 2025.

He went from strength to strength from then on, and finished the 2025/26 season with seven goals and ten assists to his name, which is hugely impressive for a new addition to any team.

It appears as though Scienza's strong showings for Southampton haven't gone unnoticed though, with AS recently reporting that the likes of Como, Atalanta, Real Betis and Real Sociedad were all keen on striking a deal to land Scienza's signature this summer.

BBC Solent's Adam Blackmore previously issued an update on Scienza's future, and admitted that Saints owner Dragan Solak values Scienza in the region of £35m, which is likely to deter future bids for the winger anytime soon.

Southampton will be eager to keep hold of him though, as he's a player that would leave a sizeable void in their team if he was to depart, which would be far from ideal so close to the new league campaign starting in August.

Elijah Just could be the ideal Leo Scienza replacement

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Southampton will obviously be looking to keep hold of Scienza for as long as possible, as he has that much quality, he could prove to be the difference between winning promotion into the Premier League, or a frustrating another season in the second-tier, so smart recruitment is vital.

However, if he was to depart, then the Saints could turn their attentions to pursuing a deal for Elijah Just, who has been hugely impressive in his first season with Motherwell.

The right-winger scored seven goals. and was on hand to provide eight assists for his Motherwell team-mates in the top-flight, and at the age of 26, some will argue that he's still got his best years ahead of him.

The New Zealand international followed up that strong form for the Scottish side this summer, as he featured for New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup.

Just netted a brace against Iran during the Group Stage of that tournament, which saw him become the first-ever New Zealand player to score twice in a single World Cup match, although his efforts weren't quite enough, as New Zealand narrowly missed out on progressing into the knockout stages.

His direct style of play could certainly add quality to the Southampton side this summer, but the Saints will have to act fast to secure any potential deal.

It's claimed by journalist, Pete O'Rourke that Southampton are rivalling Swansea City and Scottish giants Celtic to the potential signing of Just this summer, and so the winger has a serious decision to make.

Southampton will obviously try and do all they can to keep Leo Scienza at the club moving forward, but Elijah Just could be a shrewd addition if he can kick on.

Southampton are set to get their 2026/67 league campaign underway on Saturday 16th August, as they take on Watford, in a game that they'll be expected to pick up three points from.