Will Still must keep Southampton FC double act together - They will thrive at St Mary's | OneFootball

Keeping hold of defensive duo Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ronnie Edwards should be a priority for Southampton this summer.

Southampton are preparing for life back in the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

It was a nightmare campaign for Southampton last season as they finished bottom of the top flight table with just 12 points to their name, but they did at least manage to avoid breaking Derby County's record for the lowest-ever Premier League points total.

After parting company with Ivan Juric back in April following their relegation, the Saints have appointed Will Still as their new manager, with the highly-rated 32-year-old leaving his role at French side Lens to take over at St Mary's.

Southampton have made a couple of new signings this summer, with defender Joshua Quarshie making a £3.5 million move from Hoffenheim and forward Damion Downs arriving from Cologne for a fee of £7 million, while there have also been a number of departures, including Sam Amo-Ameyaw, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu.

Just like the previous time the Saints were relegated to the Championship two years ago, there are likely to be further high-profile exits before the end of the transfer window, and defenders Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ronnie Edwards are two players who could be on the move.

Harwood-Bellis initially joined Southampton on loan from Manchester City in September 2023, before the deal was made permanent last summer for a fee of £20 million after the club won promotion to the Premier League.

The 23-year-old was a regular in the top flight last season as he made 34 appearances in the league, but while he was part of a defence that conceded a staggering 86 goals, he was one of few players to emerge with any credit from the Saints' relegation campaign.

That is reflected by the fact that Harwood-Bellis was the subject of a £19 million bid from Portuguese giants Porto earlier in the summer, which was rejected by Southampton, while his former club Burnley, who he helped to the Championship title during a loan spell in the 2022-23 season, are believed to be keen to bring him back to Turf Moor following their promotion to the Premier League.

Harwood-Bellis may not be the only defender heading out the exit door at St Mary's this summer, with question marks over whether Edwards will be part of Still's plans in the Championship next season.

The Saints signed Edwards from League One side Peterborough United for a fee of £3 million last summer, but he featured just twice in all competitions in the first half of last season before being loaned out to Queens Park Rangers in January.

Edwards starred at Loftus Road as he scored two goals in 22 appearances to help the R's pull clear of relegation danger, but it remains to be seen whether he has done enough to force his way into contention at Southampton after returning to the South Coast.

Southampton must reject any Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ronnie Edwards advances this summer

Of course, Southampton will need to balance the books this summer after relegation which will inevitably lead to further sales, but Harwood-Bellis and Edwards are two players they should do everything possible to keep hold of.

While the Saints were incredibly vulnerable at the back in the Premier League last season, they also conceded 63 goals during their Championship promotion-winning campaign the year before, so one of Still's top priorities will be to tighten his side up at the back, and both Harwood-Bellis and Edwards will be key to that.

Harwood-Bellis won promotion in each of his two previous seasons in the second tier with Burnley and Southampton, proving just how influential he could be in the upcoming season, and while he is a talented defender, it appears his stock has fallen slightly after his side's struggles in the top flight.

The £19 million Porto reportedly offered for Harwood-Bellis is lower than what the Saints paid for him last summer, so the club should resist any interest in the defender for at least another year, particularly as his valuation will only increase if he performs well in the Championship.

Having scored on his senior debut for England in a 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in November, Harwood-Bellis may be keen to secure a move this summer in order to further his international ambitions, but with a new era underway at Southampton, Still should attempt to convince him that his long-term future lies at St Mary's.

Former manager Russell Martin was understandably reluctant to start Edwards in the Premier League last season, but he proved during his loan spell at QPR that he is more than capable of making the step up to a higher level, with the 22-year-old impressing at both centre-back and in a defensive midfield role at Loftus Road.

Edwards is not only an excellent reader of the game, but he is also incredibly comfortable with the ball at his feet, and that will come in useful for the Saints if Still wishes to remain elements of the possession-based style that served the club so well when they achieved promotion from the Championship under Martin in the 2023-24 season.

Of course, if Southampton were to receive bids for Harwood-Bellis or Edwards that were too good to turn down, their stance could change, but for now, Still must make them central to his plans as they could be a formidable defensive pairing next season.