The 5 Southampton FC players surely keen to escape St Mary's this summer | OneFootball

Southamptonremain fully focused on an immediate return to the Premier League this season, but the cogs will be turning to potential incomings and departures at St Mary's next season.

The Saints have three players out of contract at the end of the campaign, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis, David Brooks, Flynn Downes, Ryan Fraser and Joe Rothwell all returning to their parent clubs upon the conclusion of the Championship next month.

Russell Martin's first full season in charge of the Saints has been aided by his extremely talented squad, with interest in some of his star players a certainty during the summer transfer window, while also welcoming back seven players from their respective loan spells.

Football League World take a look at the players who could be looking for a way out of St Mary's following the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Kyle Walker-Peters

Kyle Walker-Peters has been a player subject to interest for a number of years, with many expecting him to leave the club following their relegation to the Championship.

However, the 27-year-old remained on the South Coast and has been an integral part of Southampton's season.

The defender's performances saw him linked with a move to Arsenal and Chelsea during the January transfer window, despite not being out of contract until next year.

Martin admitted that it would be difficult to keep Walker-Peters at the club should an immediate return to the Premier League fall short, and the defender may see this as an opportunity to re-establish himself as a top flight footballer and potentially stake a claim of a possible return to the England squad ahead of the World Cup in 2026.

Carlos Alcaraz

Having arrived from Racing Club during the 2022/23 January transfer window, it was immediately evident the amount of quality Carlos Alcaraz possessed.

The Argentine could not stop Saints' relegation to the Championship, but impressed nonetheless. He would make 23 appearances in the second tier before completing a loan switch to Juventus in the January window, with a reported release clause of over £40 million.

Alcaraz has surrounded himself among some of Europe's elite footballers, and that experience will make him hungry to compete at the highest level, having just gotten a taste for it in Serie A, making seven appearances for the Italian side.

Should Southampton fail to secure promotion to the Premier League, it seems likely that the 21-year-old will explore opportunities at a higher level, given his knowledge of his own potential. It was a move that benefitted both parties, and the Saints could be in for a hefty return on their investment should he decide to leave the club.

Che Adams

The first player to feature on this list who is out of contract in the summer is striker, Che Adams.

The Scottish international has enjoyed a prolific season in front of goal for the Saints this term, becoming an integral part of Martin's squad this term. Many predicted the striker to leave St Mary's ahead of the season after Everton bid £12 million for his services, while also seeing a loan move to Wolves blocked by the club.

His performances this season have subsequently seen recent interest emerge ahead of the end of the campaign, with Leeds Unitedreportedly joining Gary O'Neil's side to sign Adams in the summer.

Having a proven track record with the Saints in the Premier League, the striker could be tempted to return to the top flight instead of signing a new deal if Southampton fail in their promotion bid.

Romain Perraud

Having made the switch from Brest in 2021, Romain Perraud established himself as a dependable option for the Saints at left-back.

The Frenchman played 49 times in the Premier League for Southampton, but was sent out on loan to Nice ahead of the Championship season. His time in his homeland has mainly been spent on the bench, and the option of the French club taking the option to buy the 26-year-old seems unlikely.

But with the form of Ryan Manning and the emergence of exciting talent Jayden Meghoma, he may feel his time at St Mary's could be coming to an end, despite having another year left on his current contract.

At this stage of his career, Perraud would want to play regular football and could see that the opportunity to do so may be away from the South Coast.

Alex McCarthy

The 34-year-old is a long-serving member of the Saints squad, and is into his eighth season at St Mary's, but it could be his final one on the South Coast.

Martin bolstered his goalkeeping options with the addition of Joe Lumley from Middlesbrough, pushing Alex McCarthy further down the pecking order having previously lost his place to Gavin Bazunu following his permanent arrival from Manchester City.

But, the former Reading shot-stopper could be a more lucrative deal than you think for Premier League clubs, due to his home-grown status. It was reported in the summer that Everton, Luton Town, and former club, Crystal Palace, were interested in him as a back-up option.