The media are saying it could be a quiet deadline day for Saints, but that doesn't stop them linking the club with a dozen or so players of varying abilities and positions, here we take a look at the deals that are being mooted and what might or might not get over the line.

The latest name coming into the frame is that of Middlesbrough right back/wing back Djed Spence, the Londoner joined Boro from Fulham's academy in 2018 and broke into the side half way through the 2019/20 season, last season he was a mainstay in the side that made it all the stranger that he was then sent out on loan to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest after making 3 appearances for Boro for the remainder of the 2021/22 season.

He has excelled there and is now being linked with several Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Tottenham and of course ourselves.

In many respects he is the type of player that we would be looking for, young ambitious and undoubted talent, but he left Boro under a cloud with then boss Neil Warnock saying:

"He had to leave Boro for his own good. I didn't have a problem on the pitch with him. His attitude was never in doubt and his playing performances too, but I've never had so many one-on-one chats with someone in my career.

"I said to him he had to decide. He's got so much ability but he let himself down here and there."

So there is a blemish there that might deter Saints, but you have to ask why we would be after another right sided player, we have two excellent options there in Tino Livramento & Kyle Walker Peters as well as Yan Valery, so from this respect i would be surprised if this deal happened especially with the extra twist that having played for both Boro & Forest this season he is unable to play for a third club.

One deal that might get done is the signing of 16 year old central defender from Cheltenham Town, yet to make a first team appearance for his club aside from in the EFL Trophy, he is not one that we would be throwing in the first team, but is a sign of the direction that we are heading, with the emphasis on not just our own academy side, but on those with other clubs.

Tino Anjorin who was linked earlier in the week with a move to St Mary's from Chelsea now looks doubtful with Chelsea seemingly favouring a loan move to a Championship side, Huddersfield looking the most likely destination as the final day of the window opens.

Sam Johnstone at West Bromwich Albion is a player who has been linked since last summer, the keeper will be out of contract in the summer and will walk for nothing, so with Saints now able to make a move this window, something that they would not have been able to do before the arrival of Sport Republic, this deal could be the most likely of all being mooted.

Johnstone has fallen out with the Baggies manager and after a 3 match suspension has not even been on the bench in a month that has seen West Brom fall from being a promotion favourite to being in danger of falling out of the play off spots, only hanging on by goal difference.

Albion could look to cash in now and Saints could sweeten the deal with by loaning them Alex McCarthy or even Fraser Forster who themselves are both out of contract, of all the rumours so far today this is the most likely major deal to get done in my opinion and I don't even offer great hopes of this one.

One signing that Saints will have to be quick about is that of Crystal Palace central defender Daniel Quick, the 19 year old has struggled to get game time even in the B team due to first team players dropping down and it is believed he could leave Selhurst Park, Saints and Borussia Dortmund are being mentioned as monitoring him.

So there is still business to be done for Saints, but it doesn't look like any major deals will be pulled out of the hat, Dele Alli is one who has been linked with Saints as well as several clubs including AC Milan, but the problem is for the Italian club that he is no longer an EU citizen and that makes it harder to sign him.

If I had to throw in a wild card signing it would be the Spurs man, several Premier League clubs were mooted with signing the attacking midfielder, but we looked to be out of the running as we pursued Tino Anjorin, but with that deal looking dead for the time being, we could turn to a loan move for Alli.

The trump card in this move would be that his best friend is Kyle Walker Peters and that could be a factor as the player who looked to have the World at his feet a few years back looks to kick start his career again.

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