Southampton FC should only secure Rangers agreement on one condition: View | OneFootball

Southampton FC have been in and around the race for promotion to the Premier League for most of this season, but if they want to sign one reported target, they may have to forego dreams of top flight football.

Saints have looked impressive, but shaky, at times this season under Russell Martin. After a slow start to the season, they have come good on many of the expectations placed upon them in pre-season, by sitting fourth in the Championship table.

While they will likely have a firm eye on navigating the playoffs, and maybe even a more hopeful eye towards automatic promotion following dropped points over the weekend for Leeds and Ipswich, they are thought to be eying a potential move for Rangers striker Kemar Roofe, who will be leaving the Scottish side on a free transfer this summer.

However, this move should only be made with one condition. That being, Saints remain in the second tier.

Kemar Roofe's pedigree

The English striker has plenty of EFL history, having taken in successful spells at Oxford United and Leeds United, as well as short loan stays at Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town and Colchester United.

When Roofe moved to Leeds in 2016, from Oxford, and it was understandable why.

He was Oxford's main man and their top goalscorer in his one full season at the Kassam Stadium in 2015-16, where he netted 18 goals. Once at Leeds, the attacker would make over 100 appearances for the Yorkshire side, netting 29 goals in total over his four years at the club, but perhaps falling short of the expectations he had upon his expensive transfer.

Having now added spells in Belgium and Scotland, where he has played in European competitions, as well as scoring 26 goals in Scotland.

He would therefore make a brilliant free signing for the Saints, arriving with plenty more experience than seven years ago when he made his move to Leeds in the Championship, and to pay nothing for that would be nothing but a positive for Southampton.

Saints' current striking options

Some may argue that Roofe doesn't need to be added to Southampton's current roster of strikers. On the books, the South-Coast side currently have Adam Armstrong and Che Adams, as well as an injured Ross Stewart. All three are quality options for an EFL side, even if Stewart's fitness issues are a major worry, and Adams is out of contract this summer.

The duo of Armstrong and Adams, however, have been on fire this season. The pair have netted 33 goals between them, with 20 of those coming from Armstrong, who has been deployed on the left wing at times this season.

These three strikers aren't the only players who Martin has at his disposal. If he chooses to, he can rely on the likes of Sekou Mara, Samuel Edozie and Samuel Amo-Ameyaw up front or across an attacking three to help freshen matches up.

As just mentioned, Russell Martin prefers to play an attacking trio in a 4-3-3 formation. This means if Roofe joins this current group of strikers, you'd have to think that one will be leaving.

Why a Championship stay will make the transfer happen

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, if Southampton want the transfer of Roofe to proceed, they have to be prepared to stick it out in the Championship for another season and potentially let go one of their two aforementioned stars.

There is the possibility that Adams could leave on a free, but if they secure an unlikely promotion ahead of Leicester, Ipswich or Leeds, there should be strong conversations regarding a renewal.

If a renewal doesn't go ahead despite securing promotion, the main reason why Roofe shouldn't be considered as an option for the Premier League is because of the simple fact that Roofe doesn't have that top-flight experience just yet to solidify himself as a starter at that level.

Despite gaining top division game time in Belgium and Scotland, the fact it is lacking in England is concerning, and should be a factor in Southampton's decision-making this summer.

Added to this, though, is Roofe's age. In a Premier League that is forever getting faster, more physical and more skillful, a player of Roofe's talents at 31 years of age may be better suited to Championship football, which may lead Southampton and Martin to look elsewhere at younger, more top-quality players who they may have to part with money for if they gain promotion.

Either way, it cannot be ignored that whoever picks up Roofe this summer, whether it be Southampton or not, will guarantee themselves a man who scores goals, so on a free that would be smart business for any Championship side.