In the wake of recent events it is not surprising that Saints are already lining up a replacement for Sadio Mane for when he leaves.

Saints are likely to cash in on Sadio Mane but the reality is that it is more likely to be in the summer than in this transfer window.

If they receive a bid in excess of £25 million for the Senegalese striker then they would consider it good business for a player who although on his day can be electric, too often fails to deliver on a regular basis.

Back in August Mane to United was a smokescreen in the media perpetuated by United themselves to deflect criticism from the fact they had failed to land big name targets like Pedro who was snatched from under their noses by Chelsea.

The knock on effect of that is that Mane's stature in the game is far above the actual reality and Saints would see selling him at a grossly inflated price as good business.

The media is now throwing up all sorts of names as a replacement and the latest to be linked is not new but a name linked since the summer, Sebastien Haller of Utrecht.

The French striker only joined Utrecht in January last year on loan, but he scored 11 goals in 17 games and was voted player of the year by the supporters, so far this year he has hit 11 in 16 and that is getting interest from the Premier League.

But for the media to suggest he is a replacement for Mane is perhaps a little off the mark, at 6ft 2 he would be more in the mould of Pelle than Mane, however Saints could be looking to shuffle the pack and gibe options, certainly if Rodriguez was to return this month, Koeman would have 3 wide attacking options other than Mane and that could increase if he also manages to capture a winger.

This could mean that Saints might be willing to let Mane go at the right price, however I am far from convinced that the big names chasing Mane according to the press are actually that interested, to be blunt his stats and performances do not add up to a player that would improve their sides.

Haller could be a good fit for Saints and at £7.5 million would be a gamble worth taking, but I expect that gamble to be n the summer rather than now.

Photo: Action Images

law101 added 11:52 - Jan 6 Replacing quality with another average foreigner, If we are not careful we will end up with a team like Villa. Our transfer policy can't last forever but do we have a choice? We won't be able to keep our best player or our manager.
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saintstuinoz added 12:05 - Jan 6 Law101, not sure if you're being serious or trolling - how do you know this is 'another average foreigner'? And what if he's just as 'average' as Pelle, or Mane, or Schneiderlin, etc. This has to be our transfer policy (buy cheap, sell big) as we're a mid-size club. Keep the faith!
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bigrob68 added 12:25 - Jan 6 Buy Haller now, no messing around just get him now even if mane stays till the summer.
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law101 added 12:25 - Jan 6 What I mean is selling proven players like Mane and Wanyama and replacing them with unproven players from other European leagues is a gamble. As you say, perhaps one we have to take, it has worked well thus far. I think you are forgetting for every Pelle and Mane there is a Mayuka, Chung and Ramirez. My question is such a transfer policy sustainable? Just look at what is happening to Villa. This is a wider debate and my faith is very much with Koeman and the players.

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SaintBrock added 14:40 - Jan 6 law101 has a point. Do we really need to take a chance on yet another player from the Dutch league? I wouldn't. Mane's reputation must have taken one hell of a knock this year as his game has been sussed out by defenders and he proves less and less effective. Big clubs need 20 goals per season strikers and Mane is not that. As a provider Tadic is streets ahead of Mane, who remains despite coaching a selfish hogger of the ball. Last Saturday he let himself down even further showing that he lacks discipline and respect for club, manager and team mates. Not a hugely tempting prospect one would have thought for any of our top six and £20m tops seems a good price to aim for but more likely interest will start at £15m. I suspect clubs are weary of trying to reform misfit characters full of ego and hit air.

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arthurfane added 14:42 - Jan 6 I'm sorry, but what exactly was Mané if not an 'unproven player from other European Leagues'? Add to that Pelle, Tadic and Wanyama who are success stories, despite signing from leagues which are of a far lower standard that the Premier League . . . I appreciate the fact that you're questioning the ambition of the club (I have myself wondered if this strategy really can lead to success) but you shouldn't just dismiss signing players from weaker leagues. The alternative is to sign players who have proven Premier League quality at quadruple inflated prices. THAT is just idiotic.

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law101 added 16:21 - Jan 6 arthurfane you have pretty much repeated all I have written, Mane and Wanyama have become proven players and the system has worked fantastically in this instance. Equally we can all list a host of European buys that have not worked out. I agree that this policy is perhaps our only feasible option as a smaller club, but it is a gamble nonetheless. This is the point I am making.

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IanRC added 23:01 - Jan 6 Think I must be watching different games to the rest of you. With possible exception of VVD my view is that Mane has been streets ahead of the rest of our team in terms of performance level. Sure he is not the finished product but he certainly has the potential. Are we going to sell him without trying to develop him further. If so we have learnt nothing since we sold Gareth Bale.

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