3 Che Adams replacements Southampton should assess

Southampton will be striving for a positive summer of recruitment as they prepare for a first season outside of the Premier League for over a decade.

The Saints have one more top-flight game to play before their stay in England’s, and perhaps the world’s most watched league comes to an end, with the Hampshire outfit also midway through a managerial search.

The Southampton hierarchy will be hoping to deliver promotion at their first attempt of Championship football since the 2011/12 campaign and it will be interesting to see what their squad looks like ahead of their first fixture of the new campaign in just over two months.

One player that the Saints may lose this summer is striker Che Adams, with Everton and Leeds United interested in the 26-year-old as per a report from TEAMtalk.

Here, we take a look at three potential Adams replacements that the Saints could cast their eyes over…

Who Should Southampton look at if Everton or Leeds United sign Che Adams?

Ellis Simms

If Everton continue with their interest in Adams, then the Saints could look to add striker Ellis Simms as part of a potential deal.

The 22-year-old powerhouse started the campaign on loan at Sunderland, netting seven goals in 17 appearances and emerging as a real physical presence and vocal point.

Returning to Goodison Park in January, the young forward managed 10 Premier League appearances, with two coming in the form of starts, and the young forward netted an important goal at Stamford Bridge to steal a point from Chelsea.

Scoring goals in the Championship during the early stages of the 2022/23 campaign and having a profile similar to Adams, he could be an excellent addition.

Joel Piroe

Basing this on the assumption that Southampton go on to appoint Swansea City manager Russell Martin, then there is logic to suggesting that Joel Piroe could be high up on the Saints’ wish-list.

The Dutch forward, 23, netted 19 Championship goals during the 2022/23 campaign, adding to the 22 he scored during his first term with the Swans the season prior.

Possessing a wand of a left foot, good movement and position, all whilst there being plenty of scope to keep on developing, Martin could look to explore a move for a familiar face if he takes the Southampton job.

Aaron Collins

Taking a different kind of approach, Bristol Rovers forward Aaron Collins could be an option that the Saints explore, albeit he provides a different kind of service to Adams.

The 25-year-old netted 16 goals and provided 11 assists during his side’s return to League One, with the exciting forward going on to claim the division’s Player of the Season award.

An intelligent mover and possessing quick feet, Collins has proven to be a scorer of goals and a creator of them too, whilst a Championship move would make complete and utter sense.