Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit urges Southampton FC to resist top-flight transfer interest in "talented" star | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie has exclusively spoken to FLW about Sam Edozie’s future at St Mary’s.

Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has urged Southampton to keep hold of Sam Edozie beyond the summer transfer window, believing the “young and talented” attacker can help the club push for promotion.

The Saints will be hopeful of delivering an immediate promotion back to the big time under former Lens coach Will Still, who takes on the first English job of his young career.

Naturally, cuts have to happen for any club that suffers relegation from the Premier League, with some outgoings expected to balance both the books and the playing squad.

One exit that has been touted from the South Coast is that of Edozie, who could be searching for his next challenge.

The winger is of interest to ex-Saints head coach Russell Martin following his appointment at Scottish giants Rangers this summer, as per journalist Nizaar Kinsella, who claims Southampton have rejected an initial approach north of the border for the 22-year-old, while more clubs are expected to enter the race in due course and Club Brugge have also been linked.

With this news in mind, Lee Hendrie has spoken to FLW about his thoughts on Edozie’s future and what Southampton should do next.

Lee Hendrie advises Southampton to keep hold of Sam Edozie

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has advised Southampton to retain the services of Edozie, believing the youngster can taste top-flight football again very soon with the Saints.

In Hendrie's view, Edozie is among a crop of "young and talented" starlets at Southampton who the club should be looking to build around, and he has urged the promotion hopefuls against cashing in on the exciting wide-man three years after his reported £10 million move from Manchester City.

Hendrie said: “With Samuel Edozie, I say this time and time again with big and young players in particular falling away from the Premier League. Seeing what players have achieved in the Premier League at that level, then you’re always going to get teams who are bigger, maybe playing in Europe, around Europe that would certainly want to take Edozie.

“I think if you can keep hold of these players, then you can build around these young and talented players they have at the football club.

“I think it would be a good thing for him to stay as they’ve got every chance of promotion again and that’s where you feel where you’re moving on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

“I think keeping him at the football club would be the right decision.”

Southampton must keep hold of Sam Edozie to thrive in the Championship

It will have been a bitterly disappointing last campaign for Edozie, who featured twice in the top-flight before heading out on loan to Anderlecht, where he mustered just four attacking contributions in the Belgian Pro League.

The attacker had registered six goals and three assists in the second tier term that led to promotion, but Edozie will feel he wasn’t given an opportunity to show what he could produce in the Premier League.

However, those experiences will only have developed his character as a player, and at 22, he still has so much room to learn and develop, with the Championship a brilliant division to make his mark in.

His pace, trickery and fearless direct running are all known, but irregular end product has blighted such potential. If Will Still can hone consistency into Edozie’s game, then he is sure to make the second tier look like a walk in the park.

There’s no doubt Edozie has all the attributes to turn into a top-class player in England; It’s just all about maintaining consistent performances.

If Southampton can keep hold of him and then work on those improvements, they will have a dynamic and creative player that could be the catalyst for an instant return to the top-flight.