AFC Bournemouth's Joe Rothwell addresses potential future Southampton transfer agreement | OneFootball

Joe Rothwell has opened up on the possibility of signing for Southampton on a permanent basis.

The midfielder is currently on loan with the Saints, having signed for Russell Martin’s side during the January transfer window.

The 29-year-old had fallen down the pecking order at Bournemouth and made the switch to the Championship side in a bid to earn more playing time.

Rothwell has made nine appearances for the team since joining the south coast club (all stats from Fbref), with two of those coming as a start.

Rothwell has admitted he is open to a potential permanent move to Southampton, suggesting he is enjoying his loan spell with the Championship side.

However, he is not thinking too much about his immediate future just yet, with his focus being on helping the club’s promotion battle.

"Why not?” said Rothwell, via the Daily Echo.

"I've really enjoyed my time here.

"If my time at Bournemouth has come and passed, then it's something I'm massively open to.

"But I'm not thinking about that at the minute.

"My main focus is to finish as high as we can and hopefully get into those automatic spots to get this club back to the Premier League."

Southampton are aiming to earn a place back in the top flight at the first time of asking this year, but recent form has seen them fall behind their top two rivals.

Joe Rothwell's importance to Southampton

Rothwell has proven a shrewd addition to Martin’s squad, arriving in January to bolster the team’s midfield options.

He has added Premier League experience to an otherwise relatively young squad.

The 29-year-old signed for the club following Bournemouth’s promotion to the Premier League in 2022.

He was a regular presence in the Cherries’ squad in the top flight under Gary O’Neill, but struggled for game time upon Andoni Iraola’s appointment in the summer.

This led to his departure during the winter window, taking the step down to the Championship.

The Saints are currently fourth in the table, six points adrift of the automatic promotion places but with a game in hand.

Rothwell could be key to the team’s promotion hopes, with his four goals from nine appearances proving he can contribute a lot in the final third.

Next up for Southampton is a home game against Middlesbrough on 29 March.

Rothwell’s performances have shown a lot of promise

Rothwell hasn’t been able to cement himself as a regular starter in the side just yet, but he has shown a lot of promise as a secondary option.

Popping up with important goals from the bench could be key to the team’s promotion hopes, and will make him a very useful asset to have in the squad.

His future may also depend on that promotion battle, as being a Premier League club will make staying at Southampton a very enticing project for Rothwell.

But even if promotion isn’t earned, it could still be a smart move for the player as it appears game time will be extremely limited at Bournemouth as long as Iraola remains in charge.