Southampton release 12 players including ex-England star Adam Lallana after Premier League relegation
SOUTHAMPTON have made a ruthless end-of-season cull following their relegation to the Championship.
The south-coast side were relegated from the Premier League in April with SEVEN GAMES to spare.
3
3
Dropping back to the second tier of English football will put some serious financial strain on the club.
And to cut costs, they have released 12 players - including former Liverpool star and England international Adam Lallana.
Youngsters Derrick Abu, Josh Lett, Josh McNamara and Lewis Payne have all been released from their respective contracts at St Mary's.
Scholars James Martin, Tevin Myers, Alfie Prescott, Ben Sheaf and Harry Upstell have also been moved on.
Lallana, 37, isn't the only big name to depart the Saints this month.
Kyle Walker-Peters and Joe Lumley are also set to leave the club following the expiration of their respective contracts.
Lallana, however, could still be at St Mary's come the start of the Championship season in August.
The midfielder has been linked with a coaching role under new gaffer Will Still.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
3
Still, 32, inked a three-year deal with Saints last month to succeed Ivan Juric, who left the club after confirmation of their return to the Championship.
Still is relishing the challenge on his hands, saying: "There is huge potential here and we have a great opportunity to do something special.
Adam Lallana reflects on going back to his boyhood club Southampton
"The project that has been laid out to me is very impressive and, all together, I believe we can build a clear identity and a very positive future for the team.
"I'm eager to get to work this summer and start building a close-knit group that can make everyone proud and ultimately get us back to where we belong; in the Premier League."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Football frenzy grips cities across Jiangsu
In the popular Hupu app, a social media platform in China, the emergence of the Jiangsu Football City League has been striking and captivating, standing out alongside channels featuring the English Premier League, Chinese Super League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A. The 2025 Jiangsu Football City League has recently surged in popularity, prompting the app to urgently add a dedicated 'Jiangsu League' channel. Slogans such as 'No match-fixing, no biased referees, only long-standing rivalries' and 'Match comes first, friendship fourteenth' have become part of the online banter, highlighting the intense rivalries among the 13 cities in Jiangsu. Scarcity of tickets and heated discussions on social media have added to the excitement, with the hashtag #JiangsuCityLeague# surpassing 100 million views on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. The league's motto, 'Fighting for city honour', has drawn ordinary citizens into stadiums, igniting a passion for sports across Jiangsu's cities. Jointly organised by the Jiangsu Provincial Administration of Sport and the governments of the 13 cities, the tournament promotes the principle of 'participation of all citizens and city honour', advocating for a deeper integration of football and national fitness. The inaugural match kicked off on 10 May, with the final set for 2 November. A total of 516 players from the 13 teams have qualified: 85 university students, 69 high school and vocational school students, 29 professional players (which include one high school player and three university players) and 337 amateur players from various professions. Player ages range from 16 to 40. To encourage participation and audience engagement, matches are primarily scheduled on weekends, with one round per week. While the opening and final matches will be televised, other games are streamed online. According to the provincial sport administration, average attendance for the first two rounds last month exceeded 8,000, surpassing that of China League One during the same period. Some cities, including Yancheng and Changzhou, have introduced incentives to attract visiting fans. Yancheng, for example, is offering free tickets to scenic spots and local specialty egg pancakes for out-of-town spectators. During a match between Changzhou and Yangzhou, Changzhou welcomed more than 60,000 tourists from Yangzhou. Many tourist attractions in Changzhou offered free admission to Yangzhou visitors, and restaurants extended hours and launched special fan packages. Wang Xiaowan, vice-chairman of the Jiangsu Football Association, said he was amazed by the tournament's popularity. 'The competition has transformed football into a cultural phenomenon and a way of life, with the public teasing each other with jokes online,' he said, adding that the administration has introduced innovative competition formats. 'The new rules, including those regulating player qualification, were collectively discussed and formulated through group efforts to ensure full democratic participation,' Wang said. The last team among the 13, Changzhou, has shown the humble and resilient side of football. Composed of players from various professions, with an average age of 28 — older than their opponents by four to five years — the team has endured three straight defeats. Coach Fan Yi remains undeterred. 'The players have given their all. The passion has earned them applause and admiration,' Fan said. Reflecting on the broader impact of the league, Wu Yuyang, a journalist at the Jiaohuidian news app, noted that the traditional focus on the World Cup has often driven efforts to replicate foreign league models in China. 'In contrast, Jiangsu's approach has presented a new perspective on football development, integrating the sport with city pride and local culture,' Wu said. 'Players are not hired with high salaries but are ordinary people around us; spectators are not just fans but local relatives, friends and citizens; the field is not just a stage for professional players but a place where everyone can find a sense of belonging,' he said. 'This model does not pursue top-level standards but can stimulate the broadest local participation. It is creating a more valuable wealth — making football part of citizens' lives and allowing each city to have its own football memories.'
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
Soccer Aid star forced to pull out of the match at the last minute due to injury, saying ‘I'm gutted'
A SOCCER Aid star has been forced to pull out of the match at the last minute due to injury. Bear Grylls, who was set to play for the England team is no longer able to play in the game on Sunday and said he was "gutted". More on this story to follow...
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
Who is Love Island 2025 contestant and bombshell Shea Mannings?
LOVE Island has revealed two new bombshells as one will look to build strong connections and tackle anyone who gets in his way. Here we get to know the latest hunk to enter the villa — Shea Mannings. Who is Shea Mannings? Shea Mannings is a 25-year-old Bristolian and will be one of the three new faces to be added to the villa in the same number of days since the show started, and will throw a new element of drama to the reality show. Before going on Love Island, he balanced two jobs, mainly working as a scaffolder day-to-day as well as playing football semi-professionally on the side. The 25-year-old has played for Swindon Supermarine FC since signing in 2024 and will be the third semi-pro baller in the villa this year after Dejon Noel-Williams and Harry Cooksley. In his career so far he has played for Southern League Division One South side Bristol Manor Farm in 2023, and before that he represented Ashton & Backwell in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division. Alongside his two jobs, Shea has a son, who he will not be keeping a secret. Before entering the villa, he said: "I have a little boy, so I'll be taking him into consideration with who I couple up with, too.' While his Instagram bio says that he is 'off to find love in the Love Island Villa', what is Shea looking for in a potential coupling? He said: "She needs to be bubbly and we need to have that initial spark. She needs to have a nice personality - like I think I have - so that we match together.' His Insta followers can often see him enjoying life in hotter climates and either working out or in action on the football pitch. And in comparison to some of his fellow Islanders, Shea is pretty quiet on social media, sharing only the highlights of his life and matches to his just over 6,000 followers. SECOND Love Islander is dumped in brutal bombshell recoupling What will Shea be like in the villa? Shea forms part of the two bombshell line-up with Remell Mullins and came into the villa just days after American pool party waitress Toni Laites shook up the villa on the first day. The Islanders were left stunned after Toni strutted into the villa and stole Shakira Khan's man, Ben Holbrough. It meant Shakira had to find a new couple and in a shock twist caused the early exit of motivational speaker Sophie Lee after recoupling with Harry Cooksley. But with the arrival of Shea and Remell, it is the girls' time to be tempted and stray from their couples. Before entering the show Shea said: "I am ready again to look for something more serious. I'm 25 now, so I want to be settling down and have someone always by my side." A source told The Sun: "The two new boys are already in the villa and immedietely started turning heads. "The OG lads thought they were safe but three bombshells in three days shows that producers aren't messing around."
