Guly Do Prado could be the next big name Saints player to leave St Mary’s.

The club yesterday released striker Tadanari Lee, less than two years after he was signed during Saints’ Championship promotion winning season.

Lee’s contract was up this summer, and so is Brazilian midfielder Guly’s.

That means Guly is currently free to talk to clubs from abroard and sign pre-contract agreements to leave for nothing when his current deals expire.

Saints’ executive chairman Nicola Cortese has worked hard to ensure that the majority of his first team stars are signed to long term deals at Saints.

That is a move which has given the club added stability and undoubtedly contributed to their success this season.

Those whose deals are set to expire in the summer are either on the fringes of the first team squad or out of it altogether.

Do Prado is the most interesting of these, as he is a genuine first team squad member.

The 32-year-old hasn’t always found favour with the Saints fans but has had an impact during three and half years at St Mary’s, with what initially started as a loan deal from Cessena.

His original contract was due to expire in the summer 0f 2012, when Saints had won promotion to the Premier League, but at that stage he was handed a two year extension, which takes him through to this summer.

Do Prado has suffered a knee injury that required surgery this season but made a return to the first team as a late sub in the win against West Brom on Saturday.

However, the arrival of Dani Osvaldo and the improving form of Gaston Ramirez means he is having to battle for his future at Saints as he has been limited to just 21 minutes of Premier League action this season.

Do Prado still has a few years left ahead of him and so will be waiting on indications that either Saints are prepared to offer him a new contract, or he will have an eye on a move elsewhere.

Given the majority of his career has been overseas, it is not hard to imagine a foreign club wanting to explore a free transfer move for him.

Other players out of contract in the summer include some of those who have fallen out of favour as Saints have risen through the leagues.

They include former Eastleigh youngster Aaron Martin and two strikers, Lee Barnard and Jonathan Forte.

Forte signed for Saints three years ago this month but has only ever started two league games for the club, plus nine appearances off the bench.

He has not played for the club at all since January 2 2012 in a 3-0 Championship loss at Brighton.

All three players had loan spells away from St Mary’s last season, Martin at Crystal Palace and Coventry, Barnard at Bournemouth and Oldham and Forte at Crawley and Sheffield United.

None of them have gone on loan this season.