Player Stoke City tried to re-sign last year is now set to join Southampton on a two-year deal

Stoke City’s hopes of re-signing one of their former 2023 summer targets has been ended by Southampton.

The Saints have actually been linked with a lot of the same players as Stoke City since beating them in the Championship play-off final over a month ago.

With Stoke City looking to put a squad together capable of another promotion push, unfortunately the reality is a lot of those players will also have Premier League interest.

Southampton are one of the sides who are reportedly keen to beat Stoke City to the signing of Joe Rodon, which would really run salt in the play-off final wounds.

Other players to have been linked with both clubs include soon to be out of contract duo Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Callum O’Hare, though a decision has not been made by either on their futures yet.

Southampton set to sign Charlie Taylor on a two-year-deal

As shown by interest in the aforementioned O’Hare and De Cordova-Reid, both sides are currently shopping in the free agent market this summer.

Given the right constraints of the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability rules, that is certainly a wise area to target from Leeds’ point of view, as they can’t just splash endless amounts of cash on new signings.

However, despite the riches that comes with Premier League promotion, Southampton are also seemingly taken a look and have already moved quickly to bring in Adam Lallana on a free.

Now, according to journalist David Anderson, they are set to complete another free agent capture in Charlie Taylor, who is reportedly set to join on a two-year-deal upon the expiration of his deal at Burnley.