Southampton FC could replace Mateus Fernandes with ambitious move for Coventry City star | OneFootball

The Saints should consider a move for Jack Rudoni should Mateus Fernandes depart the club.

While Southampton still have to round off their Premier League campaign, the majority of the club’s focus will be on summer transfer plans as they prepare to return to the Championship.

The Saints have had a miserable term back in the top-flight following their play-off victory over Leeds United last season, mustering just 12 points from 36 league outings, with their goalless draw against Manchester City ensuring they narrowly beat Derby County’s lowest-ever points tally of 11 from the 2007-08 season.

The Saints are still preparing for a trip to Everton before hosting Arsenal on the final day, but will be eager to get among England’s elite immediately by dominating the Championship and fighting for those automatic promotion places.

With the South Coast side’s fate already decided, there are rumours beginning to surface of who will depart the St Mary’s Stadium, with playmaker Mateus Fernandes touted for a move away from the club.

Impressing for the Saints and still very young, he is a figure who could draw a sizeable transfer fee, and Southampton should look to replace his absence with a proven Championship star should his potential exit materialise.

Mateus Fernandes mooted for Southampton exit

With the inevitable financial cuts that come with relegation, Southampton will have to deal with many player exits from the club, with Mateus Fernandes potentially one of them after being a standout performer.

The 20-year-old established him as one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting 32 of the 34 games he’s been available for, as well as contributing two goals and three assists in that time.

At 20, it’s an ideal start to top-flight life, and with a lot of room left to grow and develop, it’s clear to see why he might remain playing his football among England’s elite next term.

Fernandes is reportedly gaining the interest of Nottingham Forest, who guaranteed a return to European football after their 2-2 draw with Leicester City last weekend.

It is sure to be an attractive move for Fernandes to consider, who could earn a regular starting spot in Nuno Espirito Santo’s line-up should Morgan Gibbs-White’s links to Manchester City strengthen over the course of the summer.

With this in mind, Southampton should be developing a list of targets to replace Fernandes, and Coventry City’s Jack Rudoni should be high on the agenda after a stellar season at the CBS Arena.

Southampton should use their pulling power to buy Jack Rudoni

Southampton could really benefit from the signing of Jack Rudoni, with the versatile playmaker shining for Coventry City under Frank Lampard, registering nine goals and 12 assists in the regular campaign before netting in the first leg of their play-off semi-final defeat to Sunderland.

Coventry exiting the play-offs in heartbreaking fashion will help Southampton lure Rudoni away too, with the Saints being able to offer a likelier route to top-flight football and a bigger pay rise with their superior financial resources.

It goes without saying that Coventry will demand a fortune for Rudoni after being their most influential player, but the sale of Fernandes for a significant profit could help get a deal for the Sky Blues man over the line.

If Rudoni could replicate and take into next season what he achieved with Coventry, then the 23-year-old could help make the sale of Fernandes a distant memory and play a shining role in pushing Southampton towards the top of the table and realising his top-flight ambitions.