The 2016–17 Southampton F.C. season was the club's 18th season in the Premier League and their 40th in the top division of English football. In addition to the 2016–17 Premier League, the club also competed in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League. The season was the club's only campaign with manager Claude Puel, who took over from Ronald Koeman on 30 June 2016. The club finished eighth in the Premier League table, having won twelve, drawn ten and lost sixteen of their 38 matches played. They were knocked out of the UEFA Europa League at the group stage, having won two, drawn two and lost two of their matches, and the FA Cup in the fourth round, while they finished as runners-up in the EFL Cup Final losing 3–2 to Manchester United.
Following the end of the 2015–16 season, Southampton released goalkeeper Will Britt, midfielder Gastón Ramírez and defender Josh Debayo, while veteran goalkeeper Kelvin Davis retired. The club also sold striker Juanmi to Real Sociedad, midfielder Victor Wanyama to Tottenham Hotspur, winger Sadio Mané to Liverpool, striker Graziano Pellè to Shandong Luneng, defender Bevis Mugabi to Yeovil Town, and defender Jordan Turnbull to Coventry City. Goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and striker Sam Gallagher were sent out on full-season loans to Rayo Vallecano and Blackburn Rovers, respectively, while defender Jason McCarthy and midfielder Dominic Gape moved to Walsall and Wycombe Wanderers, respectively, until January.
In the summer transfer window, the Saints also made a number of new signings. First, on 1 July, they bought winger Nathan Redmond from Norwich City for a fee in the region of £10 million, before Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg joined from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £12.8 million ten days later. On 1 August, goalkeeper Alex McCarthy joined from Crystal Palace for an undisclosed fee, while French defender Jérémy Pied joined on a free transfer from OGC Nice on the same day. Shortly before the transfer window closed, the club signed Moroccan midfielder Sofiane Boufal from Lille for a club record fee of £16 million, as well as bringing in former Leeds United goalkeeper Stuart Taylor, who had been a free agent for over a year.
When the transfer window reopened in January 2017, Dominic Gape's loan move to Wycombe Wanderers was made permanent in a free transfer, while Jason McCarthy's loan spell at Walsall was extended until the end of the season. On 20 January, captain José Fonte left Southampton after seven years at the club, joining West Ham United for £8 million. On transfer deadline day, the club signed Tunisian goalkeeper Mouez Hassen on loan from Nice until the end of the season, as well as bringing in Italian international striker Manolo Gabbiadini from Napoli in a £14 million deal. After the window closed, the club also signed Uruguayan centre-back Martín Cáceres, who had been a free agent since leaving Juventus at the end of the previous season.
Charlie Austin finished as Southampton's top scorer for the season with nine goals in all competitions, despite having been injured between December 2016 and May 2017. New signing Nathan Redmond was the club's top scorer in the Premier League, with seven goals (eight in all competitions). Spanish midfielder Oriol Romeu won both Southampton F.C. Player of the Season awards, from the Southern Daily Echo and the club, as well as the club-run Players' Player of the Season accolade. The club's highest home attendance of the season was 31,891 against West Ham United in the Premier League on 4 February 2017 (their highest since April 2013), and their lowest attendance of the season was 13,517 against Norwich City in the FA Cup on 18 January 2017.
Pre-season Southampton began their pre-season preparations against the D.C. United Under-23s on 15 July 2016, winning 2–0 thanks to a first-half goal from James Ward-Prowse and a late penalty by Jay Rodriguez. Commencing a tour of the Netherlands the following week, the Saints beat PEC Zwolle 4–0 on 23 July, with Charlie Austin opening the scoring before new signings Nathan Redmond (twice) and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (with a penalty) scored their first goals for the club. Four days later, the side won their third consecutive game by beating FC Twente 2–1, with defender Virgil van Dijk and striker Sam Gallagher getting on the scoresheet. The club ended their Dutch tour by extending their winning run to four with a win over FC Groningen on 30 July, the only goal scored by Austin. Upon their return to England, the Saints hosted Spanish side Espanyol on 3 August, which they drew 1–1 to end their winning run. Midfielder Oriol Romeu opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, but Felipe Caicedo equalised for the visitors in the second half through a penalty, which was awarded for a foul in the penalty area by van Dijk on Léo Baptistão. In their final pre-season friendly, Southampton beat Athletic Bilbao 1–0 thanks to a goal from Shane Long just before half-time.
Premier League August–October 2016
Southampton began the 2016–17 Premier League season on 13 August 2016 with a home fixture against Watford, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Watford midfielder Étienne Capoue opened the scoring for the visitors within ten minutes, before winger Nathan Redmond scored on his debut shortly after half-time to seal a point for the hosts. The following week the club travelled to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, losing 2–0 to drop to 13th in the table. Zlatan Ibrahimović opened the scoring for the hosts shortly before half-time, and later scored his second from the penalty spot after the break following a foul by Jordy Clasie on former Southampton defender Luke Shaw. On 27 August, the club drew 1–1 with Sunderland at St Mary's Stadium. The game remained goalless until late in the game, when Jermain Defoe opened the scoring with a penalty for a foul by José Fonte, before Jay Rodriguez equalised five minutes before full-time. The draw saw Southampton drop further down the table to 15th.
Following a break for international fixtures, Southampton faced Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 10 September, losing 2–1. The Saints opened the scoring within the first 20 minutes, when a Dušan Tadić free kick deflected off goalkeeper Petr Čech into the goal. Laurent Koscielny equalised for the hosts ten minutes later with an overhead kick, and in added time at the end of the game Santi Cazorla scored a controversial penalty to secure the win. The Saints picked up their first league win of the season the following week when they beat Swansea City by a single goal, scored by Charlie Austin. On 25 September, Southampton travelled to the London Stadium to face West Ham United, winning 3–0 to move up to the top half of the league table. The Saints dominated much of the game, with Austin opening the scoring just before half-time with his fifth goal in four games (in all competitions). Tadić scored in the 62nd minute to double the visitors' lead, before substitute James Ward-Prowse scored in injury time to make it three.
Southampton faced league champions Leicester City on 2 October in a game that ended goalless. Austin came closest to scoring in the first half, hitting the post once and heading on goal twice. The striker was also denied in the second half by Kasper Schmeichel, while Jamie Vardy saw his side's best chance blocked later on. After another international break, Southampton hosted Burnley on 16 October, winning the game 3–1. After a goalless first half, the Saints scored three goals in 15 minutes to take a commanding lead, with Austin opening the scoring after 52 minutes and Redmond scoring on 60 minutes. Austin scored a penalty six minutes later to make it three, with Sam McQueen winning the penalty on his Premier League debut, before Sam Vokes also converted from the spot for the visitors. The following week, Southampton drew 1–1 with Manchester City. Redmond opened the scoring for the Saints in the 27th minute after a mistake by City defender John Stones, although the visitors did not have many more chances to score in the first half. After the break, the home side equalised quickly through Kelechi Iheanacho, but saw a number of chances to win the game prevented by Fraser Forster in the Southampton goal. The month ended with a 2–0 loss at home to Chelsea, thanks to goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
November–December 2016
On 6 November, Southampton lost 2–1 at the struggling Hull City. The Saints went a goal up within six minutes, when Charlie Austin scored a penalty awarded for a foul by Curtis Davies. The visitors continued to dominate throughout the rest of the first half and into the second, although the hosts equalised through Robert Snodgrass in the 61st minute. Within two minutes, Hull went 2–1 through Michael Dawson, holding on for an unlikely win. On 19 November, the club returned from another international break to face Liverpool at St Mary's, which ended in a goalless draw. Former Saints winger Sadio Mané came close to opening the scoring for the visitors twice in the first half, before Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Clyne also missed good chances later on, with the home side's defence playing strongly to keep Liverpool out. The following week, Southampton beat Everton (managed by former Saints boss Ronald Koeman) by a single early goal to return to tenth in the league table. Charlie Austin scored in the first minute to put the hosts ahead, converting a cross from debutant Josh Sims. Southampton continued to dominate possession and chances on goal throughout the match, with James Ward-Prowse coming closest to doubling his side's lead in the second half.
The Saints lost 3–0 to struggling Crystal Palace in their first game of December, dropping down a place in the league table as a result. Christian Benteke opened the scoring for the home side in the 33rd minute after a poor clearance from Fraser Forster, before James Tomkins double Palace's lead just a few minutes later from close range. The visitors enjoyed the majority of possession and chances on goal, but Benteke struck again late on to secure the victory. The following week, Southampton picked up a 1–0 win over Middlesbrough at St Mary's Stadium to move up to tenth in the league table. After a first half of relatively few chances, Sofiane Boufal broke the deadlock shortly after the break with his first Premier League goal, striking from around 25 yards out. On 14 December, Southampton and Stoke City drew 0–0 at the bet365 Stadium. The hosts were reduced to ten men early on when Marko Arnautović was sent off for a high-footed challenge, but the visitors failed to take advantage and break the deadlock. Jay Rodriguez came closest to score, but missed from close range, while a shot from James Ward-Prowse was cleared off the line later on.