Harwood-Bellis in, Onuachu out: The dream start to Southampton's summer transfer window | OneFootball

Southampton's spot in the play-offs has put them in a difficult position, recruitment wise, because they still don't know what league they are going to be in next season.

The post-season games played by the teams who finish from third to sixth in the second tier of English football can be a rewarding, and yet annoying, mistress.

For the likes of Leeds United and Southampton, who missed out on automatic promotion, it's a hurdle that they will feel could have been avoided.

For Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion, the top-two hopefuls' play-off opponents, it provides an outside opportunity to reach the promised land of the Premier League; although the record of promoted teams recently suggests it might not be quite as holy and prosperous as previously thought.

Only one of the four teams vying for victory at Wembley will achieve it, and a spanner of uncertainty has been thrown into all four summer plans.

The Saints will understand that they will need two plans of action, depending on their results in the post-season. But, they can start to put some transfer plans into action, regardless of what division they are going to be in, and these are two moves that would start their summer well.

In: Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Taylor Harwood-Bellis made the decision to join the club on loan, despite Premier League interest, because he felt that it was a better fit for him, according to former Southampton director of football, and now technical director at Manchester United, Jason Wilcox.

The young defender had a bit of a slower start to life at St Mary's than expected, but, once he made his way into the starting XI, he didn't look back. He started 40 league matches for the Saints in the 2023/24 regular season.

The 22-year-old previously said that he would: "snap your hand off," for a chance to return to the club, if they make it back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, as per the Daily Echo.

With Southampton in the play-offs, and a £20 million buy-option in the deal struck between the Saints and City, him becoming part of Russell Martin's side permanently is a real possibility.

But, even if they were to fall short in the play-offs, the club should still try and pursue a move for the England under-21s captain.

Out: Paul Onuachu

Moves don't always work out for the best, and Paul Onuachu found that out when he joined Southampton in January 2023. He obviously had talent, but things just didn't click, and they made the smart move by sending him out on loan to Trabzonspor last summer.

He has been thriving with the Turkish side ever since arriving, even with his injury issues, and they want to sign him permanently in the summer.

The former Süper Lig winners are set to face competition from the Saints' sister club, Göztepe, who are also set to pursue Onuachu this summer, according to NTV Spor.

The easiest way to generate money is to sell on players like the Nigerian, who have been on loan, so their loss won't be felt at all by the squad, and have been performing well, so the price for them will be boosted.

Whether the Saints are in the Premier League or the Championship, they will need to generate some money to help with their summer spending, and moving on from Onuachu would be a smart way to do that.