Southampton are prepared to sell up to eight senior players this summer including Charlie Austin and Matt Targett, according to Football Insider.
29-year-old striker Charlie Austin signed in the 2016 January transfer window for a reported £4million from Queens Park Rangers.
However, he has started just four Premier League matches since Ralph Hassenhuttl’s arrival in December and does not appear to be in the Austrian’s plans in his first full season as manager.
Hassenhuttl’s preference for starting Nathan Redmond at striker has not helped Austin’s cause and he has subsequently found himself having to make an impact from the bench.
Matt Targett, who began his senior playing career at Southampton in 2013 is another player in the mass exodus of players that Southampton are prepared to let leave the south coast club in this summer’s transfer window.
The 23-year-old made 21 appearances in all competitions last season.
OPINION
This sounds like a major rebuild and perhaps Hassenhuttl should not be so hasty in moving on so many of his players. A summer rebuild is definitely needed at Southampton, but the Austrian would surely be better off keeping hold of his younger players. Targett, in particular, had a successful loan spell at Fulham in 2018 where he was a first-team starter in their championship play-off winning campaign. He might be struggling for first-team time with Ryan Bertrand ahead of him, but you need strength in depth in the Premier League and we think Targett is a player that he should try and keep hold of. There are players that should leave. If Austin is not in his plans then it would be a good time to cash in to free up some extra transfer funds for the players he intends to sign. However, getting rid of eight players sounds like a step too far for us.