Potential double Southampton FC transfer exit and Ross Stewart news means Saints must take action: View | OneFootball

It has been an excellent few months for Southampton in the Championship.

Pressure was building on manager Russell Martin after a run of four consecutive defeats in September, but his side have responded well.

Currently in the promotion mix, they are now in a good position to kick on and secure a top-six spot, although this isn't guaranteed considering the strength of other teams in the division and the players they lost during the summer.

Who left Southampton during the summer?

While things have been largely positive on the pitch for the Saints of late, they could be set to lose two strikers in the January transfer window, and they have been dealt a huge injury blow with the news that summer signing Ross Stewart is set for another spell on the sidelines.

Southampton must take action in the January transfer window

The future of striker Che Adams was the subject of much speculation in the summer, but despite attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, he remained at St Mary's.

, but they cooled their interest after they signed Beto from Udinese, while Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers were also said to be keen.

Adams is entering the last six months of his contract, and according to the Daily Echo, the Saints have offered Adams a new three-year deal, which includes vice-captaincy. This proposal remains on the table.

But with the Scotland international yet to commit his future to the club, the Saints are facing a decision on whether to cash in on him in January.

Another potential exit in January is Sekou Mara, with Foot Mercato claiming that the 21-year-old is attracting interest from top flight clubs in France and Germany.

Mara has failed to score in 10 appearances in all competitions for the Saints this season, and he is said to be keen to leave the club next month.

While Mara's departure would not be a huge blow for the south-coast side given his lack of game time, it does further deplete Martin's options in the forward areas.

The club did spend big on a striker this summer, completing the signing of Stewart from Sunderland on deadline day for a fee of £10m.

Stewart only made his debut for the Saints as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion in early November after recovering from a serious Achilles injury, but he has now suffered a setback, with Martin revealing that he will be sidelined until mid-to-late January.

The Scotsman is a prolific striker at Championship level, scoring 11 goals in 15 games for Sunderland last season, but he has been plagued by injuries in the last two years, and this was always the risk for the Saints when bringing him to the club.

If Southampton are to be promoted this season, they cannot be too reliant on Armstrong, and while Carlos Alcaraz has performed well when deployed in the central striker role, he is unlikely to score the goals to fire the club back to the Premier League, so it is an issue which will need addressing in January.