Local lad and former Saints player Danny Ings career looks set to be over at Aston Villa less than 18 months since joining them from Southampton, back then the fee was £30 million, now his value is much less.
Saints have been said to be considering a bid to bring Danny Ings back to St Mary's, the striker left in back in August 2021 with a sour taste left in the mouth for many Southampton supporters and also some at the club.
However since he has left the club, many things have changed, not least the owners and of course the manager, rumours emerged that Ings was not happy with Ralph Hasenhuttl's style of management.
The fan base are perhaps a little divided, although recent polls suggest that the majority would be happy to welcome him back and save the club from relegation as the prodigal son.
But if Saints are to mount a bid they need to do so soon as it is being reported that West Ham have got in their first with their own offer of £12 million.
Whilst West Ham might well be able to offer Ings a better salary than Saints and the suggestion is that Ings left St Mary's for the money by some, the West Ham position is far less clear than Saints who have new owners and of course a new manager.
That means some of the issues that meant Ings was keen to leave are no longer at the club, so from that perspective the path is a little clearer.
There is also the case of who will be in charge at the London Stadium, they take on Everton there on Saturday and it is said that whichever manager loses will be facing the sack, in fact it goes a little deeper than that, Everton are said to be keen on taking Moyes back to Goodison Park whatever the result.
With West Ham & Everton only above Saints on goal difference, their Premier League future is not much more stable than Saints.
The same can be said about their owners, West Ham owner David Gold died recently aged 86 and there is set to be a tribute to him at the game on Saturday against Everton, Gold has not always been popular amongst West Ham fans and his death brings some instability to the club.
Up at Everton Saints fans saw at first hand the problems up there and they could get worse if they were relegated and in the Championship with a half built stadium needing to be funded.
So perhaps on this one the big factor will be whether Danny Ings fancies being the prodigal son at St Mary's, Ralph Hasenhuttl was quoted back in August 2021 that
"Times have changed. To become a legend at a club is not very interesting anymore sometimes for players."
So If Saints do want to sign Ings perhaps the key to this one is whether Danny Ings wants to come back to his home town and become a "Club Legend" whilst it may stick in the throat of some how he left the club, perhaps this tale will have a happy ending for both player and Southampton Football Club.