Southampton are aiming for the Premier League, and Tonda Eckert will be satisfied with the team he has built at St Mary’s, yet one clear January departure is almost certainly in the cards.

Southampton appear to be automatic promotion hopefuls in the early stages of the 2026/27 season, having recovered from negative points to enter the play-off scenario with less than a quarter of the season completed.

Tonda Eckert, the German head coach, has blocked out all of the drama and outside noise surrounding the now-famous spygate case.

The Saints confirmed the permanent signings of Daniel Peretz and George Long over the summer following impressive loan periods, but while Gavin Bazunu understood the message and went on to Bolton Wanderers, one familiar face remained to the advantage of no one.

Aaron Ramsdale is out of favour at Southampton and may depart the club in January.

Aaron Ramsdale, 28, has had a challenging career as a goalie. The Englishman came through the ranks of Sheffield United before moving on to Chesterfield, Bournemouth, the Blades (again), Arsenal, Southampton, and Newcastle United. He has rarely stayed anyplace for long, and it is not by choice.

at four relegations to his name, Ramsdale spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Newcastle United, challenging Nick Pope for a spot between the posts as Eddie Howe’s number one, after the Magpies turned down the opportunity to sign him permanently.

Ramsdale cost the Saints roughly £25 million when he signed from Arsenal in the summer of 2024, but just two years later, he is out of the Championship and on a big contract.

A loan exit is the most likely option for Ramsdale this January, as Football League World looks at two Championship clubs that could tempt him into a loan switch this winter.

Norwich City

Norwich City have had a disastrous start to the 2026/27 Championship season, winning only three of their first eleven games and losing the rest, with only Preston North End conceding more than the Canaries at this point.

Philippe Clement is presently in a predicament identical to that of his predecessor, Liam Manning, before taking over; if he is unable to stem the tide at Carrow Road quickly, the Belgian may lose his job.

Bosnian shot-stopper Vladan Kovacevic has struggled in the early stages of the season, allowing 4.7 more goals than projected, the division’s worst record.

Daniel Grimshaw has stepped in with limited success in recent games, and a new safe set of hands should be on the way in January, whether Clement is still at the club or not, and Ramsdale might be an excellent fit.

Despite his recent problems, the Englishman has nearly 200 Premier League appearances under his belt and may believe he has something to prove to his critics.

If he can perform well in the Championship, it will not only remind everyone of his ability as a goalkeeper, but also of his ability to recover from a difficult situation, as Norwich should look to provide Ramsdale with a winter escape route, which could benefit all parties.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, will be eager to make their stint in the Championship as brief as possible, and while the Old Gold have shown some positive signs under Cesar Peixoto, there are some apparent areas for improvement.

If Wolves are to genuinely compete for the league crown this season, a good pair of hands between the sticks is required, and Portuguese goalkeeper Jose Sa has yet to demonstrate that he is capable.

According to FotMob, the 33-year-old has conceded 3.88 more goals than predicted at this point, which is just unacceptable for a side aiming for automatic promotion.

A significant improvement from Sa is required immediately; otherwise, Wolves should not hesitate to bring in a new pair of gloves in the winter, and Ramsdale may be the ideal candidate.

On a loan, Wolves would have no responsibility to buy the shot-stopper unless it was included in any deal that brought him to Molineux, and in any event, that requirement would most likely only be triggered upon promotion, when it would be worthwhile.

With plenty of top-flight experience and still only 28, Ramsdale would undoubtedly welcome the opportunity to join a promotion-chasing club, as Wolves attempt to make this transfer happen.