Southampton signing Championship star 'would make sense' at St Mary's | OneFootball

Southampton’s potential signing of soon-to-be free agent Ryan Manning “would make sense” this summer at St. Mary’s, journalist Dean Jones has suggested to GIVEMESPORT.

The Saints will drop into the Championship next season after finishing bottom of the Premier League this term.

Southampton transfer news – Ryan Manning

According to Swansea City’s released and retained list, Manning is set to leave the Swansea.com Stadium at the end of his contract next month, meaning the left-back is free to negotiate a pre-contract deal with clubs ahead of next season.

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And with current Swans manager Russell Martin set to be appointed as Southampton's head coach imminently, this is a move that could make a lot of sense on all fronts.

Jones has also told GIVEMESPORT that the 37-year-old head coach is a “good man manager” as he looks to secure the recently-relegated club’s immediate return to the Premier League.

With Saints left-backs Romain Perraud and Juan Larios unable to nail down a regular spot in the starting XIs of Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles this term, the club could look to sign a fresh face on that side of the defence.

Manning has been backed to be targeted by the south coast outfit should Martin’s expected appointment be confirmed before the summer transfer window’s opening.

After dropping into the Championship and losing Premier League revenue, Jones says that Southampton “have got to be careful” about their spending this summer, hinting that this is a deal “that would make sense.”

What has Jones said about Southampton and Manning?

Speaking about the potential of Southampton signing Manning, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “Saints have got to be careful about the level of spending, so this would look like a signing that would make sense.”

Would Manning be a good signing for Southampton?

Manning has proven himself to be an exceptional left-back/wing-back presence for Swansea this season, and will hope he is offered the same opportunities at his next club.

The six-cap Republic of Ireland international registered five goals and ten assists in 46 appearances this term, indicating that he is an attacking threat in the final third and a reliable defender.

It’s no shock that the 26-year-old, who reportedly earned £9,500 per-week in Wales, is ranked as the club’s best-performing player according to WhoScored, achieving an average rating of 7.26 for his displays in the Championship this campaign.

Therefore, on a free transfer, it seems like a simple decision for Sport Republic to press ahead with the decision to sign Manning, to strengthen the squad without eating into their budget to bolster the squad elsewhere.