Exclusive: £120k-a-week Southampton FC star tipped for St Mary's exit as EFL return looms | OneFootball

David Prutton spoke exclusively with FLW about relegation-bound Southampton's chances of keeping Aaron Ramsdale this summer

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has tipped Aaron Ramsdale to leave relegation-bound Southampton this summer, with the south coast side's fate set to be officially sealed in the coming weeks.

None of the three sides promoted from the Championship last season have fared well in the Premier League, with both Ipswich Town and 23/24 champions Leicester City poised to join Southampton in making a swift return to English football's second-tier.

The Saints, however, have endured a remarkably dismal campaign in the top-flight, and it's one that will likely go down in the history books. Their fate has been a foregone conclusion for much of the season and they have managed to chalk up just two league victories and nine points, leaving them rooted to the foot of the table and a stunning 17 points shy of 17th-placed Wolves with only nine games to spare.

Indeed, should the Old Gold win their next two matches against West Ham United and Ipswich, Southampton's relegation will be mathematically confirmed if they fail to pick up more than one point in upcoming fixtures at home Crystal Palace and away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite the Saints' miserable form, though, a small selection of players such as £100 million-rated winger Tyler Dibling and Ramsdale have emerged with plaudits.

Ramsdale was signed last summer from Arsenal in an initial £18 million deal, which could rise to £25 million, penning a four-year contract with the option of a further year - he's estimated to be earning £120k-a-week at St Mary's.

The five-cap England international, who kept goal for Mikel Arteta's side in his first two seasons at the Emirates Stadium before being displaced by David Raya, has endured a tough time with Southampton.

Not helped by a leaky defence which has already shipped no less than 70 goals, Ramsdale has credit in the bank for managing to keep Southampton in games at times, often pulling a string of impressive saves and ensuring their goals conceded tally is not considerably higher.

Southampton turned heads with the acquisition of Ramsdale given the price tag and his reputation, and he has unsurprisingly been tipped to move on this summer.

David Prutton tips Aaron Ramsdale transfer exit amid Southampton FC warning

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Prutton has predicted Ramsdale to make a swift exit as he looks to revitalise his international career under Thomas Tuchel, having been named in the German's first England squad for this month's FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

Prutton has also warned Southampton about the potential importance of offloading the shot-stopper to balance the books.

"I would probably say that if Southampton get relegated, which is looking highly likely, that Aaron Ramsdale [will leave]," Prutton told FLW.

"At Arsenal, they were at the other end of the table but minutes on the pitch were very hard to come by. It was quite a leap from one team at one end to one at the other who was going to be battling it out over the course of the season.

"It's safe to say he's been busy, which once again reaffirms and shows people what he can do. However, it's the type of club form that means he doesn't go into the England squad or get anywhere near the actual side selected for the games, so he'll be very mindful of that and his next port of call needs to be somewhere where he can get back in the window to try and usurp the goalkeepers that are ahead of him.

"I think the money that they spent on him could very easily be recouped. The wages he would be on, most contracts would have relegation clauses but to get a player of his calibre from a team like Arsenal, you get the feeling it's quite a unique position he finds himself in.

"If he's suddenly in the Championship on Premier League wages, that could be a huge problem for Southampton. This, of course, is only speculation.

"I don't think it would be too beyond the realms of possibility that, if they are a Championship side next season, Ramsdale's not a part of it."

Aaron Ramsdale's estimated Southampton FC salary could be a problem

It's not uncommon for newly-relegated Championship sides to face a real challenge in shifting high-earners on top-flight salaries, and Ramsdale's estimated pay packet could indeed leave Southampton in a worrying situation.

According to Capology, a site which provides estimates on player salaries, Ramsdale is collecting a hefty weekly wage of £120,000, which equates to £6.24 million. If that's to be believed, Southampton really must find a buyer for the 26-year-old this summer, even if his contract will likely incur a wage decrease through relegation.

Having Ramsdale in the Championship would, in a footballing sense, be vital to Southampton's promotion ambitions. He would surely be the second-tier's finest goalkeeper by a distance, though his relatively-young age for a shot-stopper and proven Premier League pedigree means a number of top-flight sides can be expected to eye his services.

Southampton may be left with little choice, as it's also difficult to even see Ramsdale being willing to spend a season outside the Premier League.