Southampton’s newest signing Mislav Orsic may have a relegation clause in his contract, claims Luke Edwards.

The Lowdown: Orsic signing

Southampton have signed Orsic from Dinamo Zagreb in an £8 million deal.

The Croatian looks a bargain for the struggling Premier League side who find themselves bottom of the table and without a win under new boss Nathan Jones.

His deadly end product is exactly what Southampton are after with 156 in his entire career to date.

The Latest: Edwards’ concerns

With the Saints set to announce the signing of the 30-year-old in the coming days, Edwards has been left intrigued by the move on the player’s behalf.

Speaking on Transfer Gossip Daily, The Daily Telegraph journalist questioned how Orsic’s long-term future on the south coast is set to play out.

(8:22) “I wonder if there’s a release clause because if you look at it from the player's point of view, you’d be joining a club that’s bottom of the table in real dire straits in terms of a relegation battle.

“If there’s a relegation clause for him, it makes sense for the player because if he does well in the next months in the Premier League then he’ll have plenty of takers in the summer if Southampton were to go down,” Edwards said.

The Verdict: Clauses seem likely

Orsic has played 70 times in European competitions in Zagreb so the decision to potentially drop down to England's second division is one that’s likely not too tempting.

Therefore it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a relegation clause or agreement arranged that would see him leave either permanently or temporarily if the Saints were unable to avoid the drop.

After previously bagging a hat-trick for Dinamo Zagreb against Tottenham Hotspur in 2021 as the Croatian’s incredibly knocked Jose Mourinho’s side out of the Europa League, he’s already garnered a reputation in England.

If he’s able to replicate performances such as that then he could prove a bargain not only for the Saints but a future Premier Leagues suitor if they succumb to the drop.