The summer will be one of change at St Mary's with multiple comings and goings, but the key to a promotion push could lie closer to home, with the return of those players who have been out on loan at other clubs.

Saints loaned out over 10 players last season and 5 of those who spent all or part of the season away from the club, could well be crucial to Saints chances of a swift return to the Premier League next season.

The first of those is Gavin Bazunu, he joined Standard Liege back in January after 9 months out after being injured in the warm up against Preston in April 2024 and he managed 8 games for the Belgian club before another injury ended his season.

But with Arron Ramsdale likely to depart St Mary's this summer, Saints will have a ready made replacement assuming that Bazunu's injury has recovered before the start of the season.

The Irish keeper had his critics, but in 2023/24 he was between the sticks in all of the 23 game unbeaten run in the League and to be blunt you don't complete a run like that if you have a dodgy keeper, especially is as those self same critics also moaned about, that we had the worst left back in the division also in the team.

Food for thought here, Bazunu was a young keeper thrown into a Premier League relegation battle 3 years ago and that damaged his confidence, but he is now older and wiser and will be an asset to Saints next season.

Next up is Ronnie Edwards, he arrived last summer from Peterborough, but his total minutes for the club were 12 minutes as a sub against Chelsea and 86 minutes in a win against Cardiff early in the season in the League cup.

However on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship he has been a revelation, after coming on as a sub in his first game, he was an ever present in the remaining 20 League games and was voted QPR's young player of the year.

At 22 and with almost 15 League games to his name, he showed at Loftus Road that he was Championship quality and could well be a mainstay in the Saints defence in the coming season.

Perhaps having the best season was Shea Charles, the midfielder spent the season at Sheffield Wednesday where he was voted their player of the season after starring in all of the 43 games he was at the club for in the Championship.

He again is another who never really got the credit he deserved from a section of the fanbase, but he has now grown in stature and confidence and is another who turning 22 in November is now ready to blossom.

Sam Edozie is yet another whose contributions have were never really been appreciated by some Southampton supporters during our promotion season, but his 6 goals and 3 assists in 32 regular season games in the Championship was a good haul for a winger, that compares favourably with Ryan Fraser who took 39 games to get his 6 goals and had one assist less than Edozie.

On loan at Anderlecht he has had a good season, in 23 Jupilo League games he scored 3 goals and 3 assists and added to that 5 games in the Europa League where he scored once and added an assist to his total.

So he too is another who will return to the club aged 22 with experience and confidence added to his game and he could well be a crucial figure in a promotion push.

Last but not least is Adam Armstrong, whilst in the Premier League he has not quite managed to shine, his work rate was never appreciated, but in the Championship in 23/24 he was outstanding.

Playing in all 46 regular season games he scored 21 goals to finish second in the goalscoring stakes, but his 13 assists gave him the most number of goals involved in.

Add to that he added 3 goals in the 3 play off games including that memorable winner at Wembley and the conclusion is that at 28 he is at the peak of his game, he might not have shone at West Brom on loan, but you could say his confidence was shot under Ivan Juric.

Adam Armstrong in our team next season is a no brainer for me, add to that Cameron Archer who has been prolific in the Championship for Middlesbrough where he hit 11 goals in just 20 games and also Preston where he also played 20 games and scored 7 goals and Ross Stewart who hit 10 goals in just 13 League games in the Championship for Sunderland plus 3 assists and we have a Championship ready attack.

There are those who will talk of how we will be lucky to escape relegation next season, but I am not one of them, we have 5 players returning to the club from loan who have the experience and track record to excel in the Championship for Saints next season, add to that those who will potentially be at the club including Ben Brereton Diaz another with the track record at this level and there is much to be positive about.

All Photos Via Reuters

Joiedevivre added 12:23 - Jun 2 If Bazunu is an asset then we are hopeless. Terrible goalkeeper.
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kenis added 12:54 - Jun 2 Given the number of players we already have including those coming back from loan you can see us not actually signing anyone new and building a strong squad for the championship. Only signing we actually seem to need is to extend Lumley or get another 3rd choice keeper given McCarthy and Bazunu injury records (eg would/could we buyback Liz from Goztepe...) Assuming certain known/expected departures our squad could look like this just with who we have already GK: Bazunu, McCarthy, Lumley (or new/youngster - Gunn?) RB: Sugawara, Bree CB: Wood, Stephens, Edwards, Kayi Sandra, Quarshie (Bednarek if stays is starter) LB: Manning, Wellington, Taylor? (assuming Larios is loan or goes) CM: Charles, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo (maybe) No 10s/Wingers: Edozie, Fraser, Robinson, Diaz Strikers: Armstrong, Archer, Stewart

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SanMarco added 12:59 - Jun 2 Yes Joiedevivre 'had his critics' definitely need to be put into the present tense. Not sure he is terrible but not a great stopper and also injury prone. Most of the others can do a job in the squad and one or two would have done better than those in the squad last season. (Can we start saying 'last season' now? Perhaps a therapeutic term to help put the trauma in the past!)

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Bowlercow added 13:15 - Jun 2 Charles is a keeper and he can also serve as cover for CB and will replace Big Les Edozie for Sulemana Armstrong with Ross and Archer should give us enough fire power Sell Bednarek and Stevens and go with 2 from Edwars,Wood Sanda or Quarshie but my concern would be the lack of experience amongst that 4
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WestSussexSaint added 13:21 - Jun 2 This shows how the loan system, used well, has been a real benefit to the club. Edwards, Charles and Edozie certainly should be key contributors for us next season. Bazunu too if his injury is not a big issue as while he was suspect in his shot stopping I think Russell Martin teams in general conceded plenty of goals so the issue was likely more tactical than solely down to the keeper. That said if his injury remains a concern an incoming loan could give cover for him and McCarthy. I hear Forster is a free agent ;). Adam Armstrong will be an interesting one. I think his time with the club will largely depend on a) whether Archer stays - reports of Leicester interest if the appoint RM as new manager. b) his fit with WS formation - my understanding is WS likes getting crosses into the box. Great for Stewart but not sure this is a strength for AA. c) where his head is at - will he want to put his all into a promotion campaign only to be dropped again if we are promoted. Last time in the Championship he had a point to prove but I don’t think he has that motivation this time. Possibly better he goes elsewhere to re-energise his motivation, if we can get a reasonable fee. For me it is Centreback which will need the biggest attention assuming THB, Bednarek and ABK are all sold. Stephens, Wood, Edwards and the youngsters can DAJFU but I think we will need depth in this position for a long season.

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Monksway added 14:04 - Jun 2 Agree with a lot of the comments. I'd loan Bazunu to a side that needs a shot stopper. See if he can be successful over a full season. Despite his limitations, McCarthy is a solid championship option. Really hope we play 4 at the back. If we are to be challenging for promotion we really need to keep Fernandes in front of Downes and Charles. Agree with comments about Arma. Think it might be time to let him go.

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WoolstonSaint2 added 14:06 - Jun 2 We must get new, quality players into the squad. We were lucky to get promoted via the playoffs and almost blew it after finishing on a poor run. Yes we beat Rotherham, QPR, Plymouth, Swansea Sheff Weds etc but we scraped it going up. Players we loaned out last season were deemed not good enough to play in the 2nd worst team in PL history with a pathetic 2 wins from 38 games. The squad must be improved- please SR, buy some decent players.

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davenbennett added 14:30 - Jun 2 All the loanee's, apart from AA, had good seasons in Championship, or similar level. Yes, might not be PL quality, but let's try and build a promotion squad 1st. As others pointed out, we've got a good squad already, for Championship. The key is not to just sell one good player, and buy 3 bang average. Every buy or loan MUST be better than what we have. No more Cornet's, Gronbaek's. We will sell Ramsdale, Onuachu, Dibling, H-B, Aribo, Bednerek. Amo-Ameyaw sold after loan for £10m, a mistake to me. So, buy 3 £30m, and pay £40k pw not 6 £15m, for £20k pw. Can also have 4 loans, only 2 over 23, plus emergency keeper over a season. So I would get max 7 in, but as said ONLY if better than have.

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Block8 added 14:59 - Jun 2 We also have Matsuki and Juan at Goztepe, assuming they return, both had decent season and must be worth a look?
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underweststand added 15:47 - Jun 2 After the inevitable departures / defectors have gone, we may ask ourselves just how many new players we really need. Those you mentioned above (Nick) are already on a par with many Championship sides who have lots of youngsters and little money to buy with. However, I feel another proven goalie and YET another CB are a real necessity. At this level, I'd say we'd have half of a start side just from those you commented on. Amid those you omitted, there is still Brereton-Diaz who is a proven goalscorer, and despite his " disruptive " season he may still be with us and either he, or Armstrong could be of value - if they are still here in August. Dom Ballard and Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh both had game time away with their loan clubs and might occasionally be on our bench. You can never have too many strikers and hopefully we will sign a couple more anyway. Matsuki and Juan are only names to us, but have seemingly done well at Goztepe, and are both "officially" Saints players and might improve us further - merely by returning.

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StAnt added 22:05 - Jun 2 Who wrote this rubbish :-)
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kingolaf added 05:26 - Jun 3 What you’ve written about Bazunu suggests to me that you are totally clueless. The worst keeper we have had in my lifetime (55 years old). Had a chance to rebuild has career at Liege but failed miserably. They couldn’t wait to give him back. Their fans thought he was garbage. Absolutely awful keeper who simply can’t stop shots.
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Farlow added 22:14 - Jun 6 Agree with kingolaf Bazunu is poor.I wouldn’t put money on A Armstrong having another good season.I do believe the returning loanees will have a positive impact,as long as Still Will gives them proper game time.Get shot of Manning he,s garbage,Wellington is class.
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