Southampton fans will be sick and tired of how many poor performances keep being mustered up by their bottom-of-the-table side, even with a new set of ideas being present now from the dug-out in Ivan Juric.
Juric has only managed to steer his abject team to one win since taking charge back in late December, but that elusive victory only came about in the FA Cup, with six straight defeats greeting him in the harsh environment of Premier League.
As a direct consequence, Southampton remain rooted to the foot of the division on just six points, with the misery piling up more and more for the South Coast outfit if these late outgoings are sanctioned.
Southampton's worries in the market
Indeed, many of the Saints’ star personnel could be tempted by a switch right at the death of the window to leave their depressing predicament, with Kyle Walker-Peters one face incessantly linked with a move away.
The likes of Galatasaray are now rumoured to be looking at the expansive full-back who has shone in spurts for his relegation-doomed side this campaign, with the in-demand number two picking up two assists in league action even as his team struggle to string together wins.
Everton and Leicester City have been noted as other interested parties looking at Walker-Peters, with the 5 foot 8 defender not the only first-team figure who could jump off the Saints’ sinking ship shortly.
Tyler Dibling has also had his fair share of admirers across January off the back of scoring three times for his boyhood club across 2024/25 to date, but it remains to be seen whether Tottenham Hotspur would be able to strike up a last-minute deal owing to the 18-year-old now being out injured.
Away from this duo, however, there are other players that Juric will happily wave goodbye to as the transfer window edges closer to slamming shut which includes this flop.
Paul Onuachu's struggles at Southampton
The dud in question here is Paul Onuachu, who has never managed to settle into his South Coast location after a goal-laden spell at KRC Genk.
Nobody can blame the Saints for taking a punt on the 6 foot 7 colossus back in 2023, however, considering Onuachu was just fresh off having bagged a clinical 85 strikes for his previous Belgian employers from 134 games.
He’s never been able to show off this same expertise in front of goal in the hustle and bustle of English football though, with just one goal next to the “monster” – as he was once labelled by journalist Benjy Nurick – number 32’s name from 27 forgettable appearances.
Having already been offloaded last season by Russell Martin when shining out on loan with Trabzonspor – where he helped himself to a mightily impressive goal return of 17 strikes from 25 clashes – it’s no surprise that more interest from other Turkish clubs has popped up as Beskitas now begin to sniff around to try and mould Onuachu back into a deadly striker again.
Stat
Onuachu
Games played
27
Goals scored
1
Assists
0
Transfer fee
£18m
Wage per week
£30k-per-week
Wage costs over a year
£1.5m
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Capology
Glancing at the table above, it does feel in the best interest of all parties for the towering marksman to depart Southampton for good, with his hefty £30k-per-week wage amazingly making him a higher earner than both Walker-Peters and Dibling combined, who earn a lesser £20k-per-week and £5k-per-week each.
Removing him off the wage bill could free up space for Southampton to bring in a fresher body up top, with the Saints hopeful that Beskitas would snap up Onuachu for a fee near his past weighty £18m price tag.
Even if they do fall short of this fee, it does look likely that the misfiring Nigerian will be off the St. Mary’s roster sooner rather than later as Juric begins a clearout.
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ByStephan GeorgiouFeb 3, 2025