£15m star will now ‘almost definitely’ leave St Mary’s

Southampton star Che Adams will ‘almost definitely’ leave St Mary’s as he is likely to attract interest from the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has told GIVEMESPORT.

Saints, who are close to appointing Russell Martin as their new head coach, are set to compete in the Championship next season – having finished bottom of the Premier League – but some of their key men could be offered an immediate return to the top flight.

Southampton transfer news – Che Adams

According to talkSPORT, Nottingham Forest have set their sights on testing Southampton’s resolve after identifying Adams as a transfer target.

The report suggests boss Steve Cooper remains an admirer of the Scotland international, having failed to lure him to the City Ground last summer.

It is understood that Everton are also weighing up whether to offer Adams a route back into the Premier League, while Leeds United – who suffered relegation on the final day of the season – are interested.

But respected journalist Paul Brown recently told GIVEMESPORT that Everton should have other names ahead of the 26-year-old on their wishlist.

Adams is set to enter the final 12 months of his £52,000-per-week contract in the summer, leaving Southampton in a difficult position.

What has Alex Crook said about Adams?

Crook is certain that Adams has already made his final Southampton appearance, with Nottingham Forest expected to lodge a bid.

The talkSPORT reporter also feels Bournemouth could attempt to strike a deal as they seek an alternative option to first-choice frontman Dominic Solanke.

When asked what the future holds for Adams, Crook told GIVEMESPORT: “He has only got a year left on his contract, so I think he’ll almost definitely go.

“I think Forest will come to the table and even someone like Bournemouth could come in as they are looking for a player to relieve the scoring burden on Solanke.

“I think they will be quite attracted to him because he will probably be available for a relatively small fee with only a year left on his contract.”

Should Southampton sell Adams this summer?

Southampton forked out £15million when they signed Adams from Birmingham City in 2019, according to Sky Sports, and this could be their final opportunity to recoup a decent fee.

The striker may have scored 10 goals during the 2022/23 campaign, which is no mean feat considering Saints’ struggles, but his contractual situation means the south coast outfit are running out of time to cash in.

Adams has hinted that leaving Southampton is not a foregone conclusion by taking to social media and insisting ‘we’ll bring the club back to where it belongs’, but retaining his services should only be considered if he is willing to pen a new deal.

WhoScored handed the former Sheffield United man an average match rating of 6.59 for his Premier League performances, while he was Saints’ second-top goalscorer, so he is likely to have a number of suitors.

Southampton should use that to their advantage and attempt to drive the price up for Adams, who has found the back of the net 31 times during his spell at St Mary’s.