Forget Ward-Prowse and Lavia, Russell Martin should seek a double Swansea City reunion at Southampton: Opinion
Russell Martin should reunite with Swansea City pair Matt Grimes and Flynn Downes at Southampton this summer.
Southampton are about to embark on a new era for the club, playing their first Championship campaign in over a decade, and will be without long-serving key players such as James Ward-Prowse, too.
Despite finishing bottom of the Premier League last season, the ambition will be to bounce straight back to the top-flight at the first time of asking in the current season.
The Saints still need time to adapt to new-boss Russell Martin’s methods, and he is still in the midst of forming his squad before the end of the transfer window, as it is anticipated more players will depart the club by September 1st.
In terms of departures, Martin’s side have seen Dan Ndlundlu join Bolton Wanderers, Kegs Chauke move to Burton Albion, Mislav Orsic depart for Turkish side Trabzonspor, and Ibrahima Diallo join Al-Duhail.
The club have also seen the likes of Mohammed Elyounoussi, Theo Walcott, and Willy Caballero depart upon the expiry of their deals on the south coast, as well as Mateusz Lis moving to Gozetepe in a temporary switch on loan.
Some key players have also left, with Mohamed Salisu joining AS Monaco, Tino Livramento moving to Newcastle United, and club captain Ward-Prowse also moving back to the Premier League with West Ham United.
However, they have retained some other key players: Romeo Lavia, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Che Adams, Kyle Walker-Peters, Nathan Tella, and Armel Bella-Kotchap all still remain with the club.
Lavia looks set to be the next out of the door, though. Chelsea are closing in on his signature per reports from David Ornstein in The Athletic:
🚨 Chelsea reach agreement with Southampton to sign midfielder Romeo Lavia. Fee in place between #CFC & #SaintsFC for 19yo Belgium int’l £53m + £5m adds. Subject to medical + terms being finalised, move will be completed. W/ @SJohnsonSport @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/hYrozkedNd — David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 15, 2023
Once confirmed, it will leave the Saints light in central-midfield, which is such a key area for Martin, given the front-foot, possession-based style of football he looks to deploy.
Joe Aribo and Stuart Armstrong could play in deeper midfield roles, but are more attack-minded players, leaving just Will Smallbone and new-signing Shea Charles as conventional options in the pivot area.
Who will replace Lavia and Ward-Prowse for Southampton?
Once confirmed, it will leave the Saints light in central-midfield, which is such a key area for Martin, given the front-foot, possession-based style of football he looks to deploy.
Joe Aribo and Stuart Armstrong could play in deeper midfield roles, but are more attack-minded players, leaving just Will Smallbone and new-signing Shea Charles as conventional options in the pivot area.
Who will replace Lavia and Ward-Prowse for Southampton?
One player Martin knows well who has already been linked as a potential signing for Southampton, is Flynn Downes at West Ham United.
Ornstein has revealed that Downes is a target, and has been part of discussions between the two sides whilst they thrashed out a deal for Ward-Prowse, with Southampton keen to bring the midfielder in on a season-long loan deal.
More recent reports from the Daily Mail believe the West Ham midfielder will go in the other direction following an agreement between them and Southampton.
The 24-year-old thrived under Martin, which earned him a move to the Premier League in the first place and a reunion might be what’s needed to get Downes back to playing his best on a regular basis.
Downes would go a long way in helping to soften the blow of the Saints’ club captain departing, and he featured 37 times for Swansea under Martin.
However, Martin may not stop there in reuniting with some former players. Once Lavia’s departure is confirmed, Southampton will still have a dearth of options in central-midfield, and should look no further than Martin’s former captain at Swansea, Matt Grimes.
The 28-year-old is a ball progression machine, and struck up a wonderful partnership with Downes in the double-pivot, with the pair dove-tailing perfectly together.
A reunion with his former pairing would give Southampton some of the best options at the base of midfield in the league, with Smallbone also impressing early on this season so far.
The quality and calmness of all three players on the ball, and the control they could bring, is exactly what Martin is looking for. Grimes would also offset the loss of Ward-Prowse in other ways, as he has the leadership required as well as good set-piece delivery.
It’s a match made in heaven and too perfect for Southampton to overlook. Grimes is into the final two years of his deal and would be more than affordable for the Saints, considering the money they have made this summer on outgoing players.
Leave a Reply