With the opening of the transfer window now less than two weeks away the rumours are flying round, but do most of them have any truth behind them.
The January transfer window is one that Saints have publicly stated in the past that they do not want to get involved in if they can help it.
The reason is it is silly season, the selling clubs know that in the main the buying clubs are desperate for one reason or another and therefore they hang on for as long as possible and prices get inflated as a result of this.
That was the case last January when Saints ended up buying Guido Carrillo for around £20 million a price that was at least £6 million over the real figure and probably you can add a few more to that.
Was it a waste of money, perhaps most Saints fans would say yes, I would counter that with the argument that Carrillo was a last gasp gamble where we paid a high price, but although he played little part due to Mark Hughes determination to work with a small group of players whom he knew, the Argentinian striker did play a small part prior to Hughes arrival that helped Saints survive and that being the case we paid a high price, but it was a small one given the gamble paid off and we stayed up.
But Saints will be keen to avoid that in January if they can, naturally all the mutterings from the club have been about how they are happy with the squad they have and do not intend to get involved with this season's January window, but behind the scenes they will have identified where they need to strengthen and who they will target, they will just want to give the impression that if they are over quoted they will walk away.
The next few weeks are crucial, if we win a few more games between now and the mid January then we won't be desperate enough to pay too much over the odds, selling clubs will know that and we will be able to perhaps steal a player or two at the going rate rather than over the top.
Now we are seeing the first shots being fired, agents putting rumours out into the media about their clients to stir up interest, claiming this club or that one want their client, this will now intensify and come to the boil on the 12th strike of the clock at midnight on 31st December.
But remember it's silly season, don't take anything that is said seriously, including Saints claims that they have no interest in buying in January, everyone is playing a game and the only truth is when a player puts his signature on the line and that only happens when his club and agent have exhausted every possibility of another club coming in and offering more.