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Southampton Squad Should They Stay Or Should They Go !
Wednesday, 4th Jun 2025 10:00

This summer will see Saints trying to offload a lot of players in the squad, some of them are obvious and the fans will see them as dead wood, but others may be more contentious and divide fan opinion, here we give our take on who should stay and who should go. Do you agree ?

This article is a simple one, although it will be a long one, so spread into several parts, it is a list of the squad players, a rough guide to their valuation and our verdict on whether they should have a future at St Mary's.

It will divide opinion on some and on others it may seem obvious to keep them, everyone would ideally say keep but it won't be so simple.

Anyway eyes down look in and give your opinions in the comments section at the bottom of the article.

We start with the goalkeepers.

Aaron Ramsdale.

A player we would all love to keep, but financially that is not going to happen, we need to get the £20 million we paid for him back in the coffers and his £100,000 a week off the wage bill.

Sadly it is both the player and the club's interest for a parting of the ways, His market value is around £20-25 million, Saints will take the lower offer if it is the only one on the table and it will get their initial outlay back.

Verdict- Sell ! Transfer fee expected £20 million.

Gavin Bazunu.
The young keeper has his critics, mainly due to being thrown into a car crash of a team 3 years ago in the Premier League as a 20 year old, that wasn't his fault and it affected his confidence, but there is no need for some of the hatred shown towards him in some sections of the support.

He can still have a future at the club and could flourish back in the Championship, a team in any division does not go 23 League games unbeaten if a goalkeeper is as poor as some would claim.

Verdict - Keep.

Alex McCarthy.

A difficult one, on one hand he is highly experienced, but on the other he is ok for the odd game due to injury to the first choice but not for longer spells, if Gavin Bazunu is number one you need cover for him that can step in to the job for longer term in case of injury.

Verdict Tough one I would say sell, but at his age and with a year left on his contract it would be difficult to get a fee, even more difficult to get someone to meet his current wages. Fee achievable Nil.

Joe Lumley.

Out of contract this summer and likely to leave the club, however still only 30 and proven at Championship level, he could be a better bet than Alex McCarthy as back up, I think at the moment the club are having a long look at both keepers as an option, but they know it will be hard to shift McCarthy due to his wages.

Verdict - Keep but only if we can move Alex McCarthy on. Transfer fee achievable - Nil he is out of contract.

Overall I would think that Saints would prefer a clean sweep here apart from perhaps Gavin Bazunu who they feel has a good future ahead of him and is Championship level at least.

That may well see both McCarthy and Lumley leave and fresh blood brought in as back up, that would be an acceptable situation for most Saints fans who want to see a bloated squad slashed in number and re populated with new blood.

That is the goalkeepers reviewed, in part two we will look at the full back situation.

But it won't be as simple as that

All Photos Via Reuters



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saintmark1976 added 11:20 - Jun 4
I’ll make it easy for you Nick.

Should Bazunu stay and be first choice keeper for the upcoming season we won’t get anywhere near promotion either outright or via the playoffs.

It was only his unfortunate injury and some good performances by McCarthy that got us to Wembley last time.

The statistics show he isn’t very good and not coincidentally that’s the view held by the vast majority of contributors to your site.
-2

kingolaf added 11:51 - Jun 4
Bazunu wouldn’t get a game at Sholing.
-3

Bawdrip added 12:05 - Jun 4
I disagree. I think he's a good keeper and will continue to improve.
2

Bowlercow added 12:07 - Jun 4
We will not get promoted with Bazunu in goal
Bit harsh that because we did get promoted with him in goal last time If you look at the games we lost against Leicester and Ipswich which if won would have given us an auto spot was he responsible for the goals conceded? I don't think so It was if anything the RM way of playing I'm not saying he's perfect and I would prefer a new number one with Baz as back up McCarthy can't play modern football so should be given away

2

WestSussexSaint added 13:19 - Jun 4
I don’t think Bazunu is as bad as people think but neither is he the finished article. There is no doubt that at 23 he is still young as a keeper and will continue to develop. He may well be a fine keeper in 5 years but we need him to be a top keeper now.

I would retain him unless a silly offer is made but ideally he would be the back up and we get a better immediate option in.
4

underweststand added 14:07 - Jun 4
young keepers always take time to develop, and those who have had a successful career when young - and then lasted the course - can be counted on one hand. Which leads me to think that a (?) still hangs over Bazunu. Good at times, but he was clearly at error on multiple occasions in his first season, and for someone who looks to be his country's keeper, the bar must be raised even higher in order to become a permanent fixture.
Shilton made it of course, and Joe Hart came good whilst young, but didn't improve as he might have. Countries who are outside of the top 50 in the FIFA ratings have it even harder and will gladly try anyone who can claim a grandmother to qualify them for the role. I'm still not sure of GB, but he doesn't fit my pic. of a Prem. keeper. McCarthy still has one year left (unsure?) but unless another club wants him on their bench he may see out his time with Saints - without getting another game.

I feel sorry for Joe Lumley, he wasn't the worst keeper we've had, but like the other options last season, he was also betrayed by his defenders on several occasions, which was no help in his career. I think he'd like to play regularly - even at L1 standard.

The rumour that Will Still might bring in Matt Ryan (?) sounds positive, I think he DAJF Brighton some years back and looked the part. Buying in keepers is always difficult.


1

Monksway added 16:44 - Jun 4
Keep McCarthy, loan Bazunu and release Lumley. New keeper needed. Promote Wright to be third choice.
0

Block8 added 18:09 - Jun 4
We will lose Ramsdale one way or another, let Lumley go. Both Bazunu & McCarthy are good enough for the Championship, especially if we don't play stupid at the back football!
0

Colburn added 11:16 - Jun 5
Ramsdale goes with all of our blessings and heartfelt thanks for his efforts. Lumley isn’t good enough, McCarthy is woeful and slow and the jury is out for Bazunu, so he is the only one I’d keep unless someone comes in for him.
We definitely need a first choice keeper with Bazunu challenging. Promote a youth keeper as no.3 or keep Lumley as training help and no.3. Mccarthy has to go, paying him too much and after he ran out of goal like a PlayStation keeper against Liverpool, I’m done with him and his overly laid back demeanour. Ramsdale is better partly due to his energy and aggression. Wish him the best and hopefully we get 20-25 million for him.
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