Daniel Peretz makes 'Spygate' confession without ruling out Southampton stay

Southampton loanee keeper Daniel Peretz keeps the door to his future open and hasn’t ruled out a permanent St. Mary’s stay despite the Spygate incident.

Time puts everything in its place, and the same has proven true in the Spygate incident. After a week of countless setbacks, Southampton and their supporters are gradually beginning to look ahead to better times.

What’s interesting is that this positive attitude has already started to translate into positive outcomes. The best example is the refreshing admission of loanee keeper Daniel Peretz, who had reportedly decided to leave Southampton just days ago.

Much like the rest of the squad, Peretz was dealt a bitter blow by Southampton’s expulsion from the playoff final. While that immediately led him to leave the club after his loan spell, his recent message suggests he bears no hard feelings towards anyone or the club itself.

In fact, Peretz has not yet ruled out a permanent move to Southampton. Speaking to Walla Sports, the keeper admitted: “I don’t know what will happen yet, it’s too early to know. We’ll digest everything that happened, we’ll take our time. Now we’re taking a mental break with the family.”

Daniel Peretz hasn’t yet decided on his club future

Southampton’s playoff semi‑final against Middlesbrough was Daniel Peretz’s last game of the 2025/26 calendar. With the Saints unable to feature in the final and Peretz not featuring in the 2026 World Cup, the keeper returned home ahead of an uncertain summer.

Regarding his transfer decision, it’s likely that Peretz would have agreed to a permanent stay if the club hadn’t ended the season on such a dramatic low. But what works in Southampton’s favour is that he hasn’t yet ruled out a move to St. Mary’s.

As Peretz clarified, he is not rushing his transfer decision after a chaotic end to a memorable loan stint. Currently spending time with his family, the keeper is unlikely to hasten a decision before the transfer window opens on 15th June.

This available time can be used by Southampton to instil a positive rebuild mindset after the Spygate scandal. Given that Peretz has admitted to understanding what happened and getting to the reasons behind it, the keeper could consider giving the Saints a second chance.

Peretz’s collective feeling hints Saints can still sign him

To Southampton’s relief, there are several indirect hints in Peretz’s latest message that keep the door open for his continuation. The first and most telling is the way he collectively addressed the Saints players in his media interview with Walla Sports.

Notably, Peretz repeatedly used “we” rather than “I,” positioning himself as a collective stakeholder in his club future. While “we” could refer to his entourage of family and friends, there is a valid chance it refers to his Southampton teammates.

The loanee keeper has admitted multiple times that his Southampton spell has been the best in a while. Peretz once again expressed similar feelings, stating: “I don’t have a bad word to say about the club: I love the players, I love the staff, I love the manager, I love the fans, I love the city.”

Such an honest confession suggests that something could still lure Peretz into a permanent move. However, it goes without saying that the club would need to clarify the entire Spygate sequence to him and to all players before the group can commit to giving Southampton another chance next season.

Currently, Southampton are awaiting the FA’s investigation verdict on Tonda Eckert and other staff members found guilty in the Spygate incident. If the club takes responsibility for what happened and guarantees fans and players of better times ahead, it is possible that Peretz and other exit‑linked players could be won over again.