Zach Awe has joined League Two club Salford City on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee and has signed an 18-month contract. Salford City FC stated that Awe is their first signing of the January window and that the defender joined on a permanent deal from Southampton. A statement from Southampton said that Zach Awe is departing on a permanent deal to secure senior football in the next stage of his career.

According to sources cited by Football Insider, Southampton defender Zach Awe has agreed a permanent deal to join Salford City. The 21-year-old defender, who is English and Nigerian, has not made a senior appearance for Southampton since his arrival from Arsenal in the summer of 2023. Awe is scheduled to undergo a medical at the League Two club next week, after which the transfer will be completed. A full agreement is reportedly in place between the two clubs, and Awe has also settled personal terms. The move represents a permanent return to the fourth tier for Awe, who previously had a loan spell with Accrington Stanley. His contract with Southampton was set to expire in June 2026. This season, he has made one appearance for the U21 side in the Premier League 2. According to Transfermarkt, Awe has a current market value of €100k.