Southampton FC must already be lining up these 3 Kyle Walker-Peters replacements – Coventry City star features…
Southampton are preparing for a huge summer after their embarrassing relegation from the Premier League this season.
Saints became the earliest team in top-flight history to be officially confirmed as down when they were relegated on April 6.
Since then, Ivan Juric has left the club, becoming the second manager to lose his job this season, and the main priority for the hierarchy will be to get a new man in place.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Southampton FC
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Then, an overhaul of the squad seems likely, as the club will naturally have to cash in on some players as they adapt to their new financial reality, whilst others will want to go, and the new boss will want to bring in his own players.
Kyle Walker-Peters is among those certain to depart, as the England international’s contract at St. Mary’s Stadium expires in the summer, and a host of Premier League clubs have already been linked with the full-back.
kyle walker-peters
Despite the miserable period for Saints, Walker-Peters will leave with some credit, as he has generally been reliable since he arrived from Tottenham in 2020.
So, he will be difficult to replace, but here we look at THREE players who could replace the player…
Milan van Ewijk
Milan van Ewijk for Coventry City-2
This would be an ambitious move, and it would entirely depend on Coventry failing to win the play-offs, but van Ewijk would be a quality addition.
We know that relegated clubs have parachute payments, which gives them an advantage over the rest of the league, and the Sky Blues may need to sell if they are gearing up for another year in the second tier.
Over the past two years, van Ewijk has proven himself as one of the best right-backs in the Championship, and it may be difficult for Saints to convince him to stay at this level.
Championship standings 2023/24
Team
P
GD
Pts
1
Leicester City (C)
46
48
97
2
Ipswich Town (P)
46
35
96
3
Leeds United
46
38
90
4
Southampton
46
24
87
5
West Brom
46
23
75
6
Norwich City
46
15
73
7
Hull City
46
8
70
8
Middlesbrough
46
9
69.
But, if they could, it would be a real coup, as van Ewijk will provide a constant attacking threat down the flank, whilst he is solid defensively. Plus, at 24, he is entering his peak years, and he could easily be someone who could perform in the Premier League, and be flipped for a bigger profit in the years to come.
Ki-Jana Hoever
Another Dutchman, Hoever is contracted to Wolves, but he has spent the past few years out on loan from Molineux.
Ki-Jana Hoever
The 23-year-old had an 18-month spell with Stoke City, where he predominantly played as a wing-back, and he scored eight goals in that period, which shows he has an attacking threat.
This season, Hoever is with Auxerre, and he has featured in all but three Ligue 1 games as they sit in a respectable 10th place.
Despite that, the former Liverpool youngster is unlikely to have a future at Wolves, so he will be available, and he could settle at Southampton as he looks to fulfil his potential and to find a permanent home.
Max Johnston
Southampton have generally targeted younger players over the years, and you would expect that model to continue in the summer.
Max Johnston
And, one exciting prospect is Max Johnston, who is currently playing for Sturm Graz as they look to win the Austrian title.
The Motherwell academy graduate is highly-rated by the club, and his performances saw him make his Scotland debut earlier this year, which is impressive for the 21-year-old.
So, he is someone with talent and potential, and he could quickly establish himself as an important figure in this Saints side that will be pushing to win promotion.
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