3 players Southampton FC should offload to boost Will Still transfer coffers | OneFootball

Three players that Southampton should offload to boost transfer funds ahead of expected Will Still appointment

As Southampton FC prepare for life in the Championship next season, they will need to cut their cloth accordingly.

At the same time, they must have one eye on building a squad capable of making an immediate return to the Premier League. The incoming manager, reported to be Will Still, will need the money to invest in players that fit his direct, high-energy playing style if he is to have the instant impact that the fans will be demanding.

The likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Matteus Fernandez, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are unlikely to be at St Mary's next season. They should fetch a decent transfer return between them.

Kyle Walker-Peters will soon be out of contract and will leave as a free agent. He has been a great servant to the club, having spent six years on the south coast and deserves a great move.

Polish central defender Jan Bednarek will get another chance to move on if his release clause is met. The 29-year-old was reported to have been an £8 million target for AS Roma back in February.

Here, we take a look at three more players who the Saints should definitely be offloading this summer.

Tyler Dibling

With two years to run on Tyler Dibling's contract, now could be an excellent time to sell. Having started the season well, the 19-year-old winger has found it difficult to make an impact in a struggling team. In 20 Premier League games, Dibling has only contributed two goals and zero assists. Both his finishing and his crossing are described as weaknesses on whoscored.com

Nevertheless, the youngster certainly has plenty of talent and plenty of suitors.

According to the Telegraph, Southampton have slapped a £100 million price tag on his head, much to the amusement of Saints keeper Aaron Ramsdale, who has teased the youngster about it in training.

The likes of Manchester City, Newcastle, and Spurs have been linked with Dibling since it became obvious that Southampton were going to be relegated. However, the transfer fee will only get those clubs a player with future potential. He is nowhere near being the finished article and would probably end up going out on loan.

You can be sure that Will Still would love to work with a highly-rated winger like Dibling, Southampton simply do not have the time to invest in his development. They should take the money and run.

Paul Onuachu

Tall Paul, as he's known in Southampton, has not been able to reproduce the form that made him such a success in Belgium and Turkey. It's hardly surprising, playing in a team that doesn't cross the ball. Southampton have the second-lowest tally of crosses so far this season. The only team that crosses the ball less is Ipswich Town, according to the EPL website.

Will Still's teams do like to cross the ball, so there could be an argument for keeping him at St Mary's. However, at 30-years-old, it's probably time to let their top scorer go. Saints have got little value for the £18 million they spent on him in January 2023. Tall Paul's goals have cost the club approximately £4.5 million (plus wages) apiece.

With Trabzonspor playing hard-ball, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the Belgian Pro League teams come in for him. It doesn't really matter where he goes, it's time for Southampton to cut their losses.

Kamaldeen Sulemana

Rarely has a player been more frustrating for Southampton than Kamaldeen Sulemana. The Ghanaian was brought in by Nathan Jones during the January 2023 transfer window. Saints paid a pretty penny for the winger too. Stade Rennais netted a cool £22 million from the deal, according to the BBC.

In two and a half seasons, the 23-year-old has contributed just six assists and four goals in 36 appearances. The young winger is an absolute flyer and is equally unpredictable. He has been completely devoid of any end product.

There has to be a degree of sympathy for Sulemana though, who has rarely been played as an out-and-out left-winger. Under Simon Rusk, he has been deployed as a lone striker in a very defensive team. Now that's an arduous and thankless task.

Unless Will Still thinks that he can coax some hidden quality out of Kamaldeen Sulemana, it might be time for Southampton to try and get some of that £20+ million back.

Whomever Southampton decide to cash in on this summer, they will need to act swiftly to maximise the time that Will Still has to do business and prepare his squad properly for the important season ahead.