Exclusive: Southampton player wanted by Walsall & Salford City | OneFootball

Zach Awe has offers to join Walsall and Salford City this January.

Southampton defender Zach Awe is weighing up permanent offers from League Two promotion-chasers Walsall and Salford City this January, sources have exclusively revealed to Football League World.

Walsall currently sit third in the League Two table, level on points with Salford in fourth. The pair are directly locked in a battle for promotion this season and their tussling appears to be spilling into the January transfer window, too, with Awe weighing up permanent moves to the pair.

The 21-year-old is on the books at Southampton, but he's not featured in the plans of Will Still or Tonda Eckert so far.

A source has exclusively revealed to Football League World that Awe has received offers from both Walsall and Salford early in the January transfer window.

It's the offer of a permanent transfer away from Southampton, with the player now simply weighing up where he will take the next step in his career.

A former England youth international. Awe has struggled for minutes since becoming a Southampton player, having left the Arsenal youth set-up.

He's yet to make a senior appearance for the Saints, who have been yo-yoing between the Premier League and Championship in recent seasons. Most of his football has come in the Premier League 2, despite Andy Goldie's positive comments around the time of him signing.

"We are excited to see what Zach can achieve here at Southampton Football Club," Goldie said.

"He's a player who we believe will not only thrive within the club-wide game model and our player development strategy, but also enhance the depth of talent we have in the 2023/24 season.

"We hope he will be able to maximise the opportunities that his new teammates have grabbed last season and during pre-season so far."

Awe did spend time on loan with Accrington Stanley in the 2024/25 season, making 21 starts in League Two and scoring in an impressive 3-0 win over Chesterfield.

That loan was cut short in February 2025, though, owing to an Achilles injury.

At the time, Stanley wrote in a club statement: "Accrington Stanley can today confirm that defender Zach Awe has been recalled from his season-long loan by Southampton.

"The 21-year-old, who arrived in East Lancashire on Thursday 4th July 2024, then made his Stanley debut in the first game of the season.

"He played a total of 27 times for John Doolan's side, with the defender scoring against Chesterfield - prior to suffering an Achilles injury.

Everyone at the club wishes Zach all the very best for the future."

No Southampton future, but exciting opportunities for Zach Awe

Southampton have struggled upon their return to the EFL this season and have been way short of the Championship pace-setters.

However, there's no denying that Eckert has some top-quality players available to him, and minutes for Awe aren't going to be forthcoming now or in the future.

A permanent move might be the making of the defender, though, particularly with exciting opportunities in League Two with either Walsall or Salford.

It's a level that the 21-year-old looked comfortable at last year, and he has the option of joining two clubs that have League One in their sights heading into 2026.