Southampton aims to strengthen their squad for the Premier League return but must also be cautious of potential player exits.
The club has made Taylor Harwood-Bellis their first summer signing, confirmed alongside their promotion, with Ryan Fraser expected to follow soon.
However, they now face a challenge in convincing one of their key players from last season to stay, as a third competitor has entered the race for his signature.
Che Adams, who has had a new contract offer on the table for most of the season, was widely expected to leave Southampton when his deal expired this summer. Surprisingly, when Southampton recently published their retained list, it confirmed Stuart Armstrong’s departure but indicated that Adams was still in negotiations.
The 27-year-old has been the subject of constant transfer speculation for the past two seasons, with his contract situation only adding fuel to the fire. Wolves and Nottingham Forest have been pushing hard for his signing, but now a surprising third club has joined the race.
Saudi club adds Che Adams to ‘list of targets’
If Southampton had not secured promotion in the play-off final against Leeds United, Adams would almost certainly have left this summer. Promotion opens the door to a stay, but it still seems unlikely that the Scotland striker will extend his time at St Mary’s.
Adams is unlikely to decide on his future until after his international duties this summer, with Scotland’s Euros campaign starting against hosts Germany on June 14th. Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on ‘X’ that a Saudi Arabian club is now interested in Adams, who scored 15 Championship goals this season.
Jacobs posted: “Exclusive: Al Shabab have added Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Che Adams to their list of targets, alongside Rafa Silva. Al-Shabab, one of the most active Saudi clubs this summer, hopes to bring in at least two big names in the coming weeks. Aubameyang is a long-standing Saudi target. Adams is pursued by Wolves and Nottingham Forest, but Shabab hopes to persuade him to move to Saudi instead. Shabab has been working on Silva since early May, as revealed last month.”
🚨 Exclusive: Al-Shabab have added Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Che Adams to their list of targets, alongside Rafa Silva.
Al-Shabab have been one of the most active Saudi clubs so far this summer and are now hoping to bring in at least two big names in the coming weeks.… pic.twitter.com/kpAL2gihXo
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 12, 2024
Adams likely to turn down Al-Shabab transfer
While the financial allure of a move to Al-Shabab may be tempting, it would be surprising to see Adams make the switch. At 27, he is in the prime of his career and has seemingly set his heart on returning to the Premier League since Southampton’s relegation in 2023.
Wolves have a long-standing interest and are a strong side under Gary O’Neil, while he could be a key player at both Nottingham Forest and Southampton. Many players have surprised fans by moving to Saudi Arabia in their peak years, with Wolves’ former captain Ruben Neves being one example.
This news has added further complexity to the ongoing saga regarding Adams’ future, but Southampton will hope for a swift resolution as they may need to move on quickly.