The ideal Southampton and West Ham transfer swap deal that could supercharge both sides next season

Southampton’s promotion to the Premier League last year turned out to be a nightmare and they have struggled to get to grips with life back in the top flight. The Saints have been relegated to the Championship already along with Leicester City and Ipswich Town. They now have a big decision to make on who to bring in as their next manager ahead of next season.

As for West Ham, they find themselves sat in 17th place in the table with three fixtures left to play. They haven’t been in any real danger about going down though. The Hammers will be hoping that they can compete higher up the league in the next campaign under Graham Potter.

Southampton eye swoop for West Ham United’s Guilherme

Southampton need to ensure that they get their next appointment right. Their aim will be to achieve an immediate promotion back from the second tier. Whoever they bring in as their head coach must get their recruitment spot on when the next window opens for business.

According to reporter Alan Nixon on his Patreon page, the Saints are interested in a move for West Ham winger Guilherme. The attacker has struggled for game time with the Hammers and has found it hard to make an impact since his move to England. Therefore, an exit into the Football League could help him get some regular minutes and boost his confidence.

Guilherme, 19, could be seen by Southampton as someone to boost their attacking department. They could do with freshening up their ranks and bringing in some bright young talent. The Brazil international has represented his country at Under-17 and Under-20 levels in the past and St Mary’s could be the platform he needs to express himself and show what he can do.

The prospect rose up through the academy ranks at Palmeiras and broke into their first-team in 2023. He went on to play 45 matches for the Serie A outfit in South America before he was lured over to Europe last year. West Ham handed him a long-term deal running until June 2029 meaning he was an addition for the future.

He has since featured on 12 occasions so far for the Hammers, 11 of which have in the league, but has hasn’t managed to score yet. They must now weigh up what is next for him regarding his immediate future, especially if an offer comes in from elsewhere. It would be a surprise to see him sold permanently but a loan move away may be what he needs at this stage of his career to boost his development and prove a point.

West Ham swap deal for Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on the cards?

If Southampton were to make a bid for Guilherme at West Ham, they could use Aaron Ramsdale as part of a swap deal proposal. The goalkeeper would be a solid addition for the Hammers and would boost their options between the sticks. Lukasz Fabianski is out of contract in late June and although they have an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months until 2026, it is yet to be known whether he will be sticking around.

Ramsdale would give Potter another option to pick from in goal if he joined them. He has had a tough past couple of years and needs to go somewhere next where he can get his head down and focus on getting as much game time as possible. He still has time left to run on his deal with the Saints but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him head out the exit door for a change of scene following their relegation.

The Stoke-born man, who has made five caps for England in the past, rose up through the academy ranks at Sheffield United and was a regular for the Blades at various different youth levels. He then moved on from Bramall Lane as a youngster when AFC Bournemouth came calling. Nevertheless, he ended up going back to South Yorkshire in 2020.

Despite going down with Chris Wilder’s side, Ramsdale proved to be a solid option in goal and was rewarded with a switch to Arsenal after a year. He then spent three years with the Gunners and played 89 games before he was replaced by David Raya. The 26-year-old sat on the bench last season before Southampton came calling.

His time with the Saints hasn’t gone to plan though and in hindsight it probably wasn’t the right transfer for him. West Ham could now give Ramsdale another chance and even if he isn’t their first choice immediately, he wouldn’t be a bad option to have at their disposal. He is also English and would occupy a homegrown place in their squad which would pave the way for another foreign acquisition if needed which is handy.