Upon being demoted from the Premier League, Southampton was given the difficult challenge of keeping a significant number of crucial assets.
It was a scenario in which they weren’t prepared for, evidenced by the expenditure that they’d forked out on big name players over the years.
But when their fate was indeed sealed at the back-end of a catastrophic campaign that saw them finish at the very foot of the division that they’d previously ascended so high in, they were braced to bid farewell to a whole host of individuals.
From Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse to Tino Livramento and Nathan Tella to name a few, there was no shortage of departures across a manic summer window that saw Russell Martin reshape his new squad in both directions.
However, there were also certain athletes who managed to stay put on the south coast against all odds. Che Adams stands out as one such player.
The striker helped a team that was in dire need of goals contribute to eight league goals, and Everton showed strong interest in him before the end of the transfer window, casting serious question on his immediate future at Southampton.
Naturally, he stayed, but with clubs all around already having one eye on the forthcoming January transfer window, the same questions are still too evident at the halfway point of the season.
And it got us wondering: What are three things that Adams will undoubtedly be considering as the new year approaches?
It should be clear that the Scottish international’s thoughts will be significantly influenced by the Saints’ position in their division.
While they have somewhat recovered from a poor start to the season, their plans to return to the top flight at the first opportunity aren’t looking too realistic at the moment. They are currently 11 points away from the automatic promotion spots and outside the top six.
They may need to rely on the unpredictable nature of the play-offs, which wasn’t exactly in the plan, if they want to stand a chance of bringing Premier League football back to St Mary’s.
If Southampton has a scorching run of success in January that confirms their status as a squad capable of winning the champion
Players won’t simply switch teams for no reason.
Barring a severe decline in form, it would be surprising if no Premier League clubs expressed interest in Adams, but that doesn’t mean he will inevitably depart.
Adams won’t want to just swap Southampton for a team like Everton, who are now just three points above the relegation zone and may very well replace Southampton in the second tier next season.
Adams would only consider a transfer if the team in question had minimal doubt about their league status for the 2024–2025 season. He will undoubtedly be interviewing potential candidates.
This aspect will be crucial as he makes decisions about his future as well.
Despite only starting five games, he has been in excellent form when he has been on the field, contributing to three goals and two assists while appearing in nine of his team’s starting eleven total.
The 27-year-old hasn’t been short of action, but considering Southampton’s relative troubles and his own status as a top-bracket player at this level, it’s debatable whether he’s been as prominent as he’d have liked.
In the Saints’ last three league games, Adams has only started once, as Martin made a dramatic tactical switch by starting midfielder Charly Alcaraz.
Adam Armstrong, the team’s top scorer and a striker by trade, has appeared in a variety of positions on the field, including on the flank and even in an unconventional midfield position.
Granted, that will undoubtedly give Adams some comfort, but he will also be aware that Martin might opt at any time to swap the seven-goal forward back to his natural position, especially if they require more dynamism and firepower up front.
He will require assurances about his position for the remainder of the season and undoubtedly won’t be satisfied with anything less than a guaranteed starter and a crucial member of the squad, particularly if he could just move to a higher division.
