Southampton FC may regret rejecting Everton’s £12 million bid for striker Che Adams earlier on in the season, with the chances of receiving such a high fee for the player looking unlikely.
Che Adams lack of starts and contract situation may make it hard for Southampton to get another £12 million offer for the striker.
The forward joined the Saints from Birmingham City in 2019, for a reported £15 million fee.
This was big money for a Championship player at the time, and a real statement of intent that the club viewed the 22-year-old as one of the future.
He has impressed to a degree during his time at St Marys, scoring 40 times in all competitions, whilst also starring at international level with Scotland.
Despite Southampton suffering relegation last year, he chipped in eight league goals in one of his most productive seasons since joining the club.
Everton reportedly wanted Adams in £12 million deal
Adams was a target for Everton during the summer transfer window, although a move to Merseyside failed to materialise.
The Scottish international was reportedly subject to a £12 million bid from the Toffees in August as they searched for a new striker in the summer, with Neil Maupay moving back to Brentford before the transfer deadline.
He netted ten times as the Saints finished in the bottom three in the Premier League, relegating them down to the Championship after an 11-year stay in the top flight.
While Southampton ultimately did not allow the player to leave the club in the summer, with Everton going for Udinese target man Beto instead, they may be regretting turning down such a hefty fee for the striker.
Southampton will struggle to receive that fee for Adams
While they did not end up selling Adams for the £12 million fee touted, Southampton may look back and regret not taking the Toffees up on their offer.
Adams is currently out of contract in the summer, and looks no closer to signing a new contract with the Saints.
He reportedly turned down a new three-year deal in the summer to keep him at the club until 2026, instead looking to focus on his football this season.
With just six months left on his current deal at St Marys, it looks more and more likely that he will be leaving the club on a free transfer in the summer.
With Premier League interest that there was in the summer and also in January, Adams may be surveying his options before the end of the season. He will be able to command higher wages if he leaves the club as a free agent, as clubs will save money by not paying a transfer fee for his services.
In addition, financial issues mean that Everton are unlikely to be able to splash the cash to sign the striker any time soon. They have already had a 10 point deduction due to breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, with further punishments likely in the future.
Because of this, the club will likely focus on signing cheaper players on free transfers and loan deals, as we saw many clubs do last month to avoid breaching any rules.
Even if Southampton manage to get Adams to sign a new deal, it is unlikely Everton will make another £12 million bid. Other clubs will also be put off by his lack of playing time this season, as the striker has spent more time on the bench than expected due to manager Russel Martin favouring Adam Armstrong up front instead.
