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SAINTS signed 14 players this summer following promotion back into the Premier League as they looked to strengthen their position against relegation. Several international stars from various continents were added to Russell Martin's artillery ahead of his first season as a top-flight boss. Those signings have landed with mixed results.
While some appear to be bargain buys, worthy of credit for the recruitment staff, others have fallen short of the mark. Here is how we rate every Saints summer signing's start to the 2024/25 Premier League season..
. Mateus Fernandes Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes was largely an unknown when Saints agreed a deal with Sporting for his services. The 20 year old has settled into the Premier League at lightning speed, so much so that Martin moved to discourage opposition teams from signing Fernandes.
Confident on the ball and tenacious off it, Fernandes has set the standard both defensively and offensively in midfield. He tops the charts for tackles won - 15 - and shot-creating actions - 20 - when compared to other midfielders at the club. A first Premier League goal remains elusive.
His effort off the woodwork at Arsenal remains his closest, but he has scored in the Carabao Cup against Cardiff City. Keeping Fernandes fit and firing will be important if Saints are to avoid immediate relegation back to the Championship. Mateus Fernandes stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Yukinari Sugawara Japanese international Yukinari Sugawara did not take long to win the hearts of Southampton fans following his move from AZ Alkmaar.
From his first interviews with the club and later the Daily Echo , the right-back's brilliant personality shone through immediately. Then came the football , which was not too bad either. Sugawara scored Southampton's first Premier League goal of the season, a late consolation at Brentford.
An attack-minded full-back, Sugawara has connected with fellow wideman Tyler Dibling to develop a strong partnership. He has tackled more dribblers than any other Saints player, a sign of his ability to chip in defensively too. At £6million, Sugawara has been a bargain for the St Mary's side but they will likely need to avoid the drop if they harbour ambitions of keeping him beyond this campaign.
Yukinari Sugawara stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Flynn Downes Martin joked he would cry himself to sleep if Saints did not re-sign Flynn Downes permanently this summer. The 25 year old played a crucial role in Southampton's promotion back to the Premier League during his spell on loan from West Ham. Martin did get his wish when Saints agreed a deal worth around £18million for his permanent return to St Mary's.
Downes had played nearly every minute for Southampton this season before he withdrew from the lineup against Wolves due to a knee injury. He remains a key figure in midfield but still needs some time to adjust to the level of the Premier League. He has been caught when passing out from the back but his willingness to drop in and provide an option under pressure has not wavered.
Flynn Downes stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Taylor Harwood-Bellis From a goalscoring perspective, Taylor Harwood-Bellis is having the season of his life. Just last week, he scored on his England debut against Ireland at Wembley. That was his fourth of the season, following Carabao Cup strikes against Everton and Stoke and a Premier League goal against AFC Bournemouth.
Defensively, Harwood-Bellis has shown clear signs of his talent, but he is part of a Saints defence which has conceded 21 goals in 11 games . Given Southampton's philosophy, it is no surprise to see him among the top two percentile for touches per 90 minutes - 92 - when compared with other defenders in Europe's top five leagues. His partnership with Jan Bednarek continues to improve as they play more Premier League games alongside each other.
Harwood-Bellis was already starting to kick on before the international break, a dream England debut could give him the confidence to unlock another level. Taylor Harwood-Bellis stats from Opta (Image: Opta) Cameron Archer The only player to score more goals for Southampton so far this season is former Aston Villa forward Cameron Archer. The 22 year old has four goals to his name at club level, two scored in the Carabao Cup and two scored in the Premier League.
Archer has shown that he can score goals when given chances - the issue lies more with his service. His goal against Arsenal was in large part down to his confidence on the ball after Saints had breached the Gunners' defence with a long ball from Fernandes. Martin will hope Southampton can replicate the goal Archer scored against Leicester more often; he met Ryan Manning's cross with a finish from five yards out.
Archer should come good, he is capable of creating chances for himself with strong drives forward with the ball. They just need to give him the ball more often. Cameron Archer stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Aaron Ramsdale Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was Southampton's marquee signing this summer.
He arrived on deadline day for a big fee from Arsenal with the promise of solving their goalkeeper problem. Ramsdale's performances between the sticks have not thrown up many problems. In fact, Southampton would have conceded more had it not been for his saves.
But his arrival has not altered their defensive problems. He has conceded 19 goals in just nine games. His only clean sheet came against Everton.
The England international is now out with a finger injury. His return date is currently unknown but it is perhaps in his absence we will discover how important he is to Southampton. Interview with Aaron Ramsdale from before his hand injury.
He spoke about having the freedom to make decisions, why #SaintsFC are conceding goals and Russell Martin being a "breath of fresh air." https://t.co/5g9bGvCWj3 — George Rees-Julian (@rees_julian) November 17, 2024 Adam Lallana Former England international Adam Lallana returned to Southampton on a one-year deal this summer, bringing an end to his decade-long absence from the club.
His arrival marked their first signing since earning promotion to the Premier League and he added much-needed experience to a young group. Lallana has been credited with adding voice and leadership to this Saints group. He can often be heard barking orders in games and sets high standards in training sessions.
Managing Lallana's minutes has been key this season and he has been in and out of the team as a result. When he is on the pitch, more often than not, he affects the game, be that with his leadership skills or his eye for a brilliant pass. He has more assists - two - than any other Southampton player so far this season.
Adam Lallana's stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Charlie Taylor Saints also moved quickly to sign Charlie Taylor on a free transfer following his departure from recently relegated Burnley. A full-back with over 100 Premier League appearances to his name, Taylor has not started as often as some expected following his arrival. Instead, Kyle Walker-Peters has played on the left of defence while Manning recently won his spot back in the team.
When he has played, Taylor has shown positive signs. Only Lallana has managed more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes than him. Although other players have been favoured, Taylor's versatility lends well to being a substitute.
He is able to slot into several positions if the game requires him. With Bednarek now injured, Martin may look to try him as a left-sided centre-back in a back three - a move which would see him rekindle his partnership with Harwood-Bellis. Charlie Taylor's stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Ryan Fraser The third and final free transfer for Saints this summer was Ryan Fraser, who returned to the club having spent last season on loan from Newcastle.
It took until deadline day to do business with the Magpies despite Fraser being keen to remain on the south coast having been frozen out at St James' Park. The Scottish winger spent pre-season training by himself before being thrown straight into action at Saints. He has not recaptured the form he showed in the Championship so far.
His difficult start was highlighted when he saw red mere minutes after coming on against Leicester. Southampton went on to lose that game and Fraser has most recently been out with a bout of illness. Signing Fraser on a free transfer was a no-brainer in the summer but their failure to secure another top-quality winger means his involvement has been stretched more than it should have been.
Ben Brereton Diaz stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Ben Brereton Diaz Southampton had hoped English-born Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz would be the answer to their problems on the left wing. He impressed during a brief loan spell at Sheffield United in the Premier League last season, and at £7million, he represented good value on paper. Unfortunately, things have not worked out thus far.
Brereton Diaz looks uncomfortable playing out wide. He would be better suited to playing centrally. His difficult start, and subsequent dropping from the Chile squad, seems to have knocked his confidence.
But we have seen time and time again that a goal can transform an attacker. Hopefully, Brereton Diaz can break his duck and turn his Saints career around. Ben Brereton Diaz stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Lesley Ugochukwu (season-long loan) French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu joined Southampton on loan from Chelsea on the eve of their opening Premier League game at Newcastle.
He experienced injury issues during his first season at Chelsea and arrived on the south coast with the ambition of playing more regular football. However, the 20 year old is yet to show consistent signs of why he was so highly rated before his move to St Mary's. Ugochukwu has looked slow on the ball when Saints have required quick passes and has often let his opponents slip free and into space.
It would be unfair to write him off yet, he is still 20 and has time to find his feet, but he does not currently look like a Premier League loan signing well spent. Lesley Ugochukwu stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Maxwel Cornet (season-long loan) Much of the above could also be said of Maxwel Cornet, who arrived on loan from West Ham on deadline day. Capable of playing on either wing, Cornet is yet to deliver a moment of real impact.
He too has struggled with injuries and looks like a player still shaking off the cobwebs. Cornet is in the bottom 15 percentile for touches in the opposition box and dribbles attempted, far below the level required in the Premier League. Maxwel Cornet stats via Opta (Image: Opta) Nathan Wood Nathan Wood was reunited with Martin this summer for the second time in his career.
The Saints boss had signed him at Swansea and returned for him again following promotion. The 22 year old is below Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek and Jack Stephens in the pecking order at Saints currently. Wood has been limited to two Carabao Cup appearances and one game for the under-21s in the Premier League 2.
He did not look entirely comfortable in either of those games senior games, but it is somewhat unfair to judge a player when they play sporadically. The England youth international is a signing for the future more so than the here and now. With Bednarek now out injured, he could be given a chance.
Nathan Wood is yet to make his league debut for Southampton (Image: Southampton FC) Ronnie Edwards Similarly to Wood, Edwards is a signing for the future and is yet to make his league debut for the club since joining from Peterborough. Southampton only had three centre-backs last season and were therefore required to dip into the market for reinforcements. Edwards has played regularly with the under-21s and appears to be below Wood as both aim to make a mark on Martin's side.
His only senior appearance to date came against Cardiff in the Carabao Cup. Unfortunately, Edwards scored an own goal. A loan away from the club in January could prove useful for 21 year old, who has already racked up over 100 appearances in the Football League.
Ronnie Edwards has not played in the league for Saints. (Image: Stuart Martin).
