The future of Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is up in the air as we approach the summer transfer window.
Southampton completed the club-record signing of Kamaldeen Sulemena from Ligue 1 side Rennes in January last year.
The Saints splashed big money on transfer deadline day in a desperate plea to stay up in the Premier League and whilst the 22-year-old was a promising signing, it hasn’t quite worked out so far.
In the top flight, it took him 18 matches to score his first goals for the club, a brace on the final day against Liverpool.
With Southampton already relegated at that point, many supporters anticipated him becoming a big player in the Championship if he wasn’t sold in the summer.
Sulemana remained at St Mary’s but has since struggled to nail down a starting place in Russell Martin’s side as the likes of Che Adams, Samuel Edozie and Ryan Fraser have all been preferred over him on the left flank.
The winger, who possesses electric pace and power to beat multiple players, just hasn’t possessed the composure to deliver a telling final ball or a quality effort on goal.
In 20 Championship appearances this term, the Ghanian has produced three assists but is yet to score, casting doubt over his future at the club.
Now, journalist Alfie House believes that Sulemana could depart St Mary’s in the summer, regardless of whether Southampton stay in the Championship or get promoted to the Premier League.
Kamaldeen Sulemana is likely to depart Southampton in the summer
With Southampton posting a staggering £87 million loss in 2022/23, Martin could be forced into selling some of his most saleable assets in the summer.
One of those is Charly Alcaraz, who is currently on loan at Juventus, while another is Sulemana.
Speaking on the Total Saints Podcast, House gave reasons why he thinks the powerful winger could leave in the summer.
He said: “I do think looking at his situation and given how it hasn’t worked and I may be wrong, but I just can’t see a situation in which he’s still here next season for whatever reason. Whether that’s in the Premier League or in the Championship. I just feel there’s been such a, not a mismatch, I think that’s unfair, he’s had injuries and he hasn’t really had a run of games.
“I mean Ruben Selles didn’t play him even though they lost every game 1-0. But I just think the way it hasn’t worked out, I just think he’ll go for £10 million or whatever the club can get for him next summer, but I guess we’ll see.”
Southampton should sell Sulemana
Ultimately, Sulemana hasn’t lived up to the hype that his record transfer promised and while there is plenty of time for him to come good, Southampton can ill-afford to carry passengers, especially if they are forced into cutting their cloth accordingly.
With Martin also insisting that he’d like to sign David Brooks permanently, selling Sulemana for a decent fee could be an effective way to facilitate that move.
Nonetheless, the £40k-a-week star is just one of several transfers that the Saints got wrong during the 2022/23 campaign and his nightmare could be brought to an end in the summer.