Harry Tizard, The Saints Score
Southampton are edging towards the Championship after a disastrous Premier League season.
Rooted to the bottom of the table, most of the damage was done in the summer and winter transfer windows, where the inability to strengthen their squad with experience and a clinical striker has proven costly.
Gambling on youth was a risk that did not pay off, but the club are still in a strong position for next season.
The selling of star players is a guarantee when dropping down a division. James Ward-Prowse, Romeo Lavia, Kyle Walker-Peters and Armel Bella-Kotchap headline a list of likely departures, with numerous players across the squad likely to have interest from across Europe for cut-price fees.
However, Southampton must not be exploited.
That named quartet should drive at least £100m back into the club, with the Saints holding a war chest of funds compared to their promotion rivals.
As a result, there should be no pressure to sell core players on long contracts unless the price is right.
Money does not guarantee success in football, but intelligent spending alongside smart loan deals will help greatly in rebuilding the squad and could see the Saints emulate Burnley’s success.