Southampton have moved ahead of rivals like Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Peterborough United’s Ronnie Edwards.
According to Football Insider, talks are underway between the Saints and the League One side over a potential transfer for the 21-year-old.
Edwards has impressed many with his performances in the third tier for the Posh, which has led to speculation over his immediate future.
The youngster has just 12 months remaining on his current contract, opening the door for a possible exit this summer in order for Peterborough to avoid losing him for nothing in 2025.
Edwards featured 45 times in the regular League One season last year, as Darren Ferguson’s side missed out on promotion with a play-off semi-final loss to Oxford United (all stats from Fbref).
Ronnie Edwards transfer latest
Southampton have reportedly opened talks with Peterborough over a potential move for Edwards.
The newly-promoted Premier League side have moved ahead of their rivals in the race to sign the highly-rated young player.
It is believed that there are a number of clubs with an interest in the defender, with Spurs in particular being credited with keeping a close eye on his progress.
But it has been claimed that Southampton are now in pole position to sign the Peterborough star.
The young defender has been linked with joining the Premier League side.
It is understood that the Hampshire outfit should have the financial muscle to complete a deal, but it remains to be seen what kind of figure will convince the Posh to cash in.
It has previously been reported that Peterborough are happy to sell the player this summer as long as their valuation is met.
Russell Martin is keen to strengthen his defensive options after the Saints earned promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
The 38-year-old is optimistic that he can help develop Edwards into a Premier League calibre player, having competed in League One for the last two campaigns.
Ronnie Edwards’ importance to Peterborough
| Ronnie Edwards – Peterborough United league appearances by season (per Fbref.com) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Appearances (Starts) | ||
| 2020-21 | 2 | ||
| 2021-22 | 34 (31) | ||
| 2022-23 | 40 | ||
| 2023-24 | 45 | ||
Edwards was a key part of Ferguson’s side last season as the team reached the play-offs.
A fourth place finish in the table gave the Posh a chance at promotion, but defeat to Oxford in the semi-finals consigned the club to another year in the third tier.
Despite the disappointment, Edwards still stood out as the team’s brightest prospect, and he has already been recognised at U21 level for the England national team.
His departure will be a big loss to Peterborough, even if they could potentially command quite a high fee for him this summer, even with only one year left on his deal.
Premier League step up will be a big challenge for Edwards
Edwards has already earned Championship experience in his career, despite spending the last two seasons in League One.
But the step up to the Premier League, if it comes to fruition this summer, will be a huge test for Edwards.
Given Southampton’s lack of options at the back, there is a good chance he will earn regular game time in Martin’s team from the jump.
This makes it a very enticing option, especially compared to Spurs where young players have struggled for minutes in recent years.
