Southampton mustn’t upset St. Mary’s with massive Portsmouth decision
Southampton’s recent approach for Asmir Begovic has drawn criticism from the St. Mary’s fans, who might prefer a Saints flop in goal instead of a rival star.
Southampton fans feel pride in their all-time greats regularly taking to the pitch for charitable causes but last month’s occasion was far from a cheerful evening. The only blemish there, was fan favourite Matt Le Tissier sporting Portsmouth’s colours, that too decades after his farewell to the sport.
Now, imagine if the fans can be upset with one of their revered heroes for siding with their derby rivals, then, this disappointment can be even bigger should they witness someone crossing the Southern divide as an active player.
Thankfully, no Saint is interested in letting down the St. Mary’s but it seems the club has no problems in doing that. By securing the services of former Portsmouth starter, Asmir Begovic.
I know, the board must be stopped from rushing the transfer call and Saints fan pundit Martin Sanders has arrived with a timely disapproval.
As quoted by the Football League World, Sanders said: “Brings experience, not sure it would go down that well with the fanbase being an ex-Pompey goalkeeper. 38 years old, is he really what Southampton need right now? Not in my opinion.”
Saints won’t be annoyed with Gunn’s return unlike Begovic
These comments will absolutely sit well with the fan beliefs but the financial aspects are where it may be hard to justify. So, how about another out-of-contract number one in familiar Saint Angus Gunn?
First of all, I am not covering up his keeping flaws from his early stint but if Southampton can ignore the “played for rivals” tag, then there shouldn’t be any issues in recalling one of their own. Plus, Gunn is nearly a ten-year younger option on Begovic though his career’s prime may not last beyond five years.
Let’s hope Southampton give the Gunn transfer idea a try too.
Southampton are preparing for a season back in the Championship, having been relegated from the Premier League after finishing 20th in a challenging 2024/25 campaign.
Manager Will Still, who was recently appointed, and their hierarchy will undoubtedly be focused on a significant overhaul of the squad, with a lot of players set to be coming and going.
This summer is anticipated to be extremely busy at St Mary’s as they look to build a team capable of securing a fast return to the top flight.
Reports suggest Southampton will be active in the transfer market, navigating both potential departures of high-earning Premier League players and strategic arrivals to support their Championship promotion push.
With this ambitious outlook, we’ve taken a look at what a dream summer transfer window would look like for the Saints as they prepare to compete in the Championship.
The Championship goal machine
With potential high-profile departures, Southampton will need a reliable striker and Joel Piroe is exactly that. He bagged a remarkable 19 goals in 46 Championship appearances for Leeds in the 2024/25 season, proving his clinical finishing and ability to thrive in the second tier. He’s a proven commodity at this level and would instantly elevate Southampton’s attacking threat.
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