Making 45 appearances in the previous season, Edwards had an outstanding campaign at the centre of Peterborough’s defensive as the Cambridgeshire team almost missed out on promotion to the English second level. Two unidentified Championship teams are showing interest in this outstanding season, and Southampton, who was recently promoted to the Premier League, is rumoured to be one of them.
The 21-year-old’s estimated worth is £10 million, which, if reached, would allow Peteborough to approve a contract, per Sky Sports. Before his team’s return to the top flight, Saints manager Russell Martin will be keen to bolster his defensive options. Edwards is a highly regarded bright prospect who might challenge players like Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Southampton is interested in signing Edwards.
After graduating from the academy of North London club Barnet, Edwards moved to Peterborough in August 2020. Since then, he has made 101 appearances for the League One team, earning the title of “best young player” that Posh coach Darren Ferguson “has ever managed.”
The player, who is only 21 years old, will benefit greatly from his experience when he moves up to the Championship or Premier League.
Edwards’ mature defensive skills were praised by Posh manager Craig Ferguson, who also called him “an incredible talent” and the best young player the Scottish coach has managed to nurture. The market seems to agree with these compliments, as three teams are reportedly interested in signing Edwards during this transfer window, according to Sky Sports.
Martin must sign more quality players this summer to give Southampton a realistic chance of finishing in the top tier. The side that finished last in the league in 2022–2023 returns to the Premier League with a mostly unchanged roster. Bednarek and Harwood-Bellis each started 40 games or more during the south coast side’s promotion push, so adding a quality player to their roster and relieving some of their workload might have a significant positive impact on Martin’s team’s defensive performance.
Should the Saints be in competition with two Championship teams for Edwards’ services, they ought to have the ability to bargain with the player and persuade him to join St Mary’s; also, a £10 million transfer fee ought to fall within the club’s recently obtained Premier League budget.
This summer, Martin should prioritise permanently signing important players from the previous season’s promotion push in addition to adding fresh talent to the team. After leaving Manchester City on a full-time basis, Harwood-Bellis is currently pursuing Flynn Downes.
During his short-term assignment last season, Downes made 37 appearances. He has been informed that his parent club, West Ham, may find him surplus to requirements. Considered by the Hammers to be worth £15 million, the 25-year-old is ‘poised to press’ for a Southampton transfer. Both parties are keen to take the initiative, with Martin wanting to re-sign Downes.
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