Che Adams is out of contract in the summer which has led to a number of Premier League clubs expressing interest in the striker, but now Southampton have named their price for a January sale.
With the likes of Crystal Palace, Everton and Wolves all interested in the Scotland international’s services, TalkSport have confirmed that Southampton have set an asking price of £6 million to allow Adams to leave this month.
Adams has scored four goals in his last five games, so Southampton boss Russell Martin will not be thrilled at the prospect of losing the 27-year-old just as he finds his form in front of goal. However, more sceptical Southampton fans may attribute this upturn in form to the fact the transfer window is open.
Adams was strongly linked with a summer departure and the impact this had on him mentally led to Martin leaving the striker out of the squad for the third league game of the season at home to QPR.
Now that those clubs in the top flight know how much it will take to persuade Southampton to let Adams leave this month, they will have to weigh up whether they match the fee or decide to try and wait to sign him for free in the summer.
Can Southampton afford to lose Che Adams this month?
Adams’ recent run of form means he is currently the first choice centre forward at Southampton, with 14 goal Adam Armstrong performing best from the right in a season in which he is performing at a level he hasn’t previously shown at the club.
With Armstrong playing on the right and £10 million summer signing Ross Stewart out for the rest of the season, it is between Adams and Sekou Mara for the centre forward spot. Earlier in the season, Carlos Alcaraz was playing as a false nine but the Argentine has seen his role reduced as Martin has preferred a more conventional centre-forward in recent weeks.
Mara has scored in his last two games and has been bright off the bench, but is yet to start a run of games in his Southampton career to date. Adams is a more reliable option and when in form is one of the best strikers in the Championship.
Another factor is Southampton’s pursuit of a right winger this window. The Saints have signed Joe Rothwell on loan from Bournemouth already, with the midfielder’s transfer coming completely out of the blue in a position few would have expected the club to be targeting.
Southampton have been linked with moves for Amad Diallo, David Brooks and Manuel Benson to bolster their options on the right hand side of the attack. If a right winger is to come in, then Adams leaving may be less of a problem as it would mean Adam Armstrong could play centrally; although it may not be wise to move the club’s top goalscorer from a wide right position in which he has had so much joy.
What Southampton must ultimately deliberate over should a club offer their asking price, is whether they are better off taking £6 million now or risking losing Adams for free in the summer. The key to this decision being that, if Adams scores the goals to get the club back to the Premier League, it will be more than worth losing him for free given the financial reward associated with a top flight return.