What Do Southampton Do With A Problem Called Edozie
Friday, 6th Feb 2026 09:28

Sam Edozie has not played a League game for Southampton or indeed any sort of game for 18 months and has has not featured in a Saints squad in that time dating back to August 2024, so what do the club do with him now.

Some may call Sam Edozie a failure at St Mary's, but he played a major part in the promotion campaign of 2023/24 including playing the in the play off final at Wembley an scored 6 goals in the Championship and 3 assists in the process.

So you would have thought that the then 21 year old had a good future ahead of him for Southampton Football club.

He played the opening game in the Premier League at Newcastle in the following season coming on as a sub at half time and followed that up with another sub appearance the following week at home to Nottingham Forest, a few days later he played the full 90 minutes in an EFL cup win at Cardiff, but that would be the last we would see of him in a Saints shirt.

A few days later he was out to Anderlecht on loan in the Jupilo Pro League.

In Belgium he would mainly be in the starting line up aside from injuries and on the face of it you would consider his season a success.

But on his return to the club it seemed that he wanted away, he was linked with a number of clubs, mainly on the Continent and he was training away from the first team alongside fellow want away Joe Aribo.

A move either permanent of temporary failed to materialise for either of them and the official line as the season progressed was that they were injured.

However Aribo did return to the first team squad and would make several appearances in the Premier League, but no sign whatsoever of Edozie returning to either training of in a matchday squad.

The January transfer window it was assumed would see Edozie move on, but again rumours of interest but come the widow shutting Edozie was still a Southampton player.

So what happened in January, why was there no move, clearly the player himself wants away and clearly the club are happy to see him go, but why is that the case, why does there seem to be such a chasm between the two parties.

Edozie himself was originally shipped out by Russell Martin, returned under Will Still and now is under Tonda Eckert.

If he has any gripes with the club then surely they are not with Eckert.

So it seems that the issues run far deeper than a player who just wants away, James Bree must have felt hacked off when Will Still kicked him off to Charlton, he must have been a bit miffed to be recalled from a team where he was a regular and come back to an uncertain future in the Saints squad.

His response was to pull on the shirt and put in to good performances against Portsmouth and Stoke City, he has shown he is a professional footballer not a spoilt brat.

So on the face of it that seems to be why Edozie is at the club, he is being well paid and that seems to be the reason why we can't sell him, he has another 18 months left on his contract, he isn't going to get a better one elsewhere, so the best choice for himself it seems is to stay put and get paid for doing nothing.

There seemed to be interest in him this month, I would have thought that Saints would not be putting obstacles in his way, they would be encouraging him to go, if someone came in and offered to take him for lets say paying just half his wages, they would have accepted, better to get him away on loan again for 6 months and out of the club.

So it seems very unlikely that Edozie will now be returning to the Southampton squad any time soon, under normal circumstances I would be asking why we were not bringing him back into the fold, he could make a contribution, no matter how small.

But it seems the situation has gone beyond that, the issue is Edozie himself, those who are in charge now ie Tonda Eckert & Director of football Johannes Spors were not those who shipped him off to Anderlecht.

So what do Saints do now ? they can do nothing !

Edozie holds all the cards and for the next 6 months at least, he is going to be well paid for doing absolutely nothing, the club will put out little snippets that he has "suffered a knock in training" etc but ultimately they will just stick him out in a far field at Staplewood and let him go through the motions of training whilst we pay him for the privilege, nice work if you can get it !

Who would be a professional footballer !

All Photos Via Reuters

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

Page:
1

andoverpierre added 09:47 - Feb 6 just get him out of the club or send him to the under 18's to train so no club will touch when he walks away , he is stinking the place doing nothing and picking up a wage dont want him in infect others with his cant do attitude .
2

StRipper added 11:28 - Feb 6

He might be miffed, and I can't really blame him for that. Though I am not sure how you can argue that he holds all the cards? Unless you are saying by not accepting a big pay cut and shipping off to play for Genk or somewhere is short sighted on his part?
SR Saints plc have treated a lot of players poorly, leaving those players to bear the brunt with the fans of being played under so many different managers, and in the wrong positions, with failed tactics and constantly changing lineups. The 23/24 season Edozie did enough to be given more time with the team to develop
The way we binned him off after 2 or 3 games in the EPL must have hurt, when he probably felt he had so much to prove and it must have damaged his confidence and trust.
I find it hard to believe that, if offered an olive branch, he wouldn't jump at the chance to get time on the pitch. It works better for all parties if he can be reintegrated into the squad. And he would fill the gap very well left on the right wing if Eckert's spreadsheet says he needs to rest Fellowes or Scienza.
So I would actually say, its Saints that hold all the cards on this one. Edozie is one man who is no star player at this point, so doesn't have much power. But for some reason, Saints plc would appear to be very poor at treating our players like people over disposable assets. Which means that we all lose out

beynali73 added 11:31 - Feb 6

A shame as he did look to have something decent about him, even if he needed to bulk up a bit.

If this is all about his attitude then there much the club can do. I remember reading about a punch up in the changing room between Mark Dennis and Chris Nicholl. It wouldn't be such a bad thing if when players started sulking or behaving badly they got a roughed up a bit nowadays.

COYRs

Bowlercow added 11:47 - Feb 6

I enjoyed watching him He gets you on the edge of your seat which is what we want
The major question is whether he has flatly refused to play in a championship team.If so then having to pay him to do nothing is a contractual fault
I would be quite happy to see him reintroduced into the squad/team He could be used to give Fellows a break either from the bench or as a starter

saintmark1976 added 12:42 - Feb 6 Get him back in the match day squads. He’s the only player other than Leo and Robinson who is consistently prepared to take players on. He’s end product doesn’t come off every time but it’s better than seeing the ball passed backwards and sideways repeatedly.
4

DellBoyWally added 14:02 - Feb 6 Who?
0

Block8 added 14:14 - Feb 6 Be nice to know the truth as it's all supposition at present. If he's refusing to knuckle down, train and be a member of the first team squad then tell us! If this is not the case then, perhaps, someone should sit down and explain to him that his future, either at the club or elsewhere, would be easier to achieve with him being seen as a footballer!
2

StRipper added 17:13 - Feb 6 I don't suppose he's at some sort of contractual threshold which would mean we have to pay money to City if he plays or scores another goal for the first team???
0

Theonlyrhymethatbite added 07:16 - Feb 7 Good player, who after injury didn't excell if he got robust challenges in the game and started to go sideways and backwards instead of taking players on. If we can reintegrate him, he looked like he had more end product than fellows probably more of a selfish streak Is this last 6 months of contract or does he have another year?
0

SaintPaulVW added 08:40 - Feb 7

It's always been the way to berate footballers for perceived faults particularly when they earn far more than the most of us. It can be a very short tough career though and some may be blessed with the physical skills but just not be able to cut it mentally. I hope Edozie moves on from whatever this is - attitude, form or other difficulties. The guy has talent but whether this is the club or career for him, only he knows

underweststand added 09:37 - Feb 7

I think you are a bit unfair (Nick) calling Sam -- a problem. He was in the young group that came from Man City's Academy in 2022. It took time to settle and Sam signed while still a teenager, and although he showed up well at times, and scored goals, but obviously lacked the consistency expected of more experienced players. Like everyone, he wants to play every week, but when managers come and go, it's easy for anyone to fall out of favour.
Sam has been a victim of that, and some unexpected injuries, (or maybe the fellow who has his position in the team deserves the spot because he's playing better at the time).

We have the rest of the season to analyse the now 23 year old Sam, who is another man than he was as a newcomer. He may move on, but might become a future squad asset.

DoctorSleep added 16:09 - Feb 7 To call Edozie a problem is very very unfair, its the turn over in coaches/managers that is the root cause. Get him back in the squad and playing then if he still wants away then he can play is way out of the club. Otherwise sign a new contract We are not a charity and every player should be made to earn his salary.
0

KilkennySaint added 02:39 - Feb 8

Hard to know what's the real issue is.

I always like him as a player and had a lot of potential, thought he was another casualty of the Russell Martin era, either been too attack minded or not part of the Russell boys club,

All I do konw is since his been here we given a enough under performing players more than enough chances and failed so I dont see why Edozie is not given another chance.

His one of the few players we have that under the right management could grow into a premier league player.

fubsy added 19:14 - Feb 10 Watching Saints against Watford I thought 3 things about Edozie: 1. Lovely footballer when running with the ball. 2. He doesn't seem to read team mates intentions accurately. 3. Slow to return to his defensive chores.
0