Exclusive: Southampton set to sell eight senior stars in firesale

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Published on:

12 Jun 2019, 6:46 am

By Pete O'Rourke

Southampton are ready to sell Charlie Austin and Matt Targett in a firesale of senior stars this summer, Football Insider understands.

A Saints source has told Football Insider that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is prepared to offload up to eight players as he plots a huge summer shake-up ahead of his first full season in charge.

Hasenhuttl is willing to let Austin leave this summer as he does not figure in his long-term plans going forward after finding his first-team opportunities limited since the Austrian's arrival in December.

The prolific striker, 29, was linked with a move away from Southampton during the January transfer window, but he remained at St Mary's.

Austin started just four Premier League games under Hasenhuttl and the emergence of Nathan Redmond as a striker has pushed him further down the pecking order.

Southampton are also willing to listen to offers for left-back Matt Targett as the club aim to raise funds for their own transfer plans.

Targett, who is seen as back-up to first-choice left-back Ryan Bertrand, made 21 appearances in all competitions for Southampton last season.

In other Southampton news, it can be REVEALED that another one of the club's strikers is to quit after rejecting a new contract.

Southampton