Southampton Release Six as Retained List Confirmed: Romeu, Smallbone, McCarthy Among Departures
Southampton have published their retained list following the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, confirming the departures of six first-team players — including some familiar faces who have been at the club for a decade or more.
The Departures
The biggest name on the released list is Oriol Romeu, who departs after two spells at St Mary’s. The Spanish midfielder, who re-joined the club in January 2026 on a free transfer, is reportedly heading to Japan with Avispa Fukuoka. His second stint in Hampshire was brief — arriving as cover during the winter window and providing veteran presence in midfield during the promotion push. At 34, a move to the J-League makes sense for a player seeking a different kind of adventure.
Will Smallbone leaves after 18 years at the club. The academy product, who joined as a seven-year-old, had been on loan at Millwall during the second half of the season and was unable to agree terms on a new deal. His departure marks the end of a long association with the club, and one that will sting for supporters who watched him come through the ranks.
Alex McCarthy departs after a decade at St Mary’s. The goalkeeper, who joined from Crystal Palace in 2016, made over 150 appearances for the club across Premier League and Championship campaigns. With Daniel Peretz, Aaron Ramsdale and George Long now competing for the goalkeeper spots, McCarthy’s release was inevitable — but that doesn’t make it any less significant. Ten years is a long time in football.
Ross Stewart and Joe Aribo were already confirmed as departures earlier this month. Stewart never truly got going at Southampton following his move from Sunderland, with injuries limiting his impact. Aribo, similarly, found consistent minutes hard to come by.
Elias Jelert returns to Galatasaray after his loan spell. The Danish right-back showed flashes of quality but was unable to dislodge James Bree from the starting lineup during the unbeaten run, and the club have opted not to make the deal permanent.
The Returnees
On the positive side, several loan players are back in the fold. Gavin Bazunu returns from Stoke City, Aaron Ramsdale from Newcastle, Ben Brereton Díaz from Derby County, Damion Downs from Hamburger SV, and Yukinari Sugawara from Werder Bremen.
Whether all of them remain at St Mary’s beyond the summer is another question entirely. Sugawara’s situation is particularly uncertain — Bremen are reportedly unlikely to trigger their option to sign him permanently, meaning the Japanese defender returns to a squad where he may face competition from Bree, Roerslev and Welington.
What It Means
The retained list confirms what was already becoming clear: Southampton are reshaping the squad with Eckert’s trust-and-commitment model at its core. The players who wanted to stay — Bree, Peretz, Larin — have signed deals. The players whose futures were uncertain have been moved on.
The savings from releasing Romeu, McCarthy and Smallbone will free up wage budget for the summer window, where the club are expected to be active in the market for a striker and a central midfielder. With the minus-four-point deduction already confirmed for next season, every signing needs to count.
As for Romeu’s reported move to Japan — if true, it would be a fittingly adventurous next chapter for a player who has never shied away from a challenge. From Barcelona’s La Masia to Southampton via Chelsea, Valencia and Stuttgart, the man has collected stories. Avispa Fukuoka would just be the latest.