Armando Broja has been a big hit at St Mary's this season and Saints fans would love to have him on a permanent deal, but how realistic is that ? According to an Insider at Stamford Bridge it is not out of the question.
Chelsea website Si & Dan Talk Chelsea have been talking to one of their sources in Chelsea Football Club whom they call The Secret Scout and describe him as a proven reliable insider, The Secret Scout claims that Chelsea want Broja to stay at the club, after all he signed a new 5 year deal in the summer, but they are also open to discussions about the player and recognise that with so many strikers at the club that first team opportunities might be limited in the near future for Broja at Stamford Bridge.
"Chelsea want him [Broja] to stay,” said TSS.
"But if they did let him go to Southampton in this window, they will include a first refusal option on him, the Southampton owners want him on a permanent deal.”
This is the sort of deal that Saints signed Tino Livramento on, Chelsea are aware of the talents of a number of their academy players who are starting to blossom and need regular first team football now, but they also know that they are unlikely to get it at Stamford Bridge and the odd game here and there won't help their development.
So Chelsea seem to have changed strategy a little and seem willing to now let young talent leave, but of course they are scared of letting players go who could genuinely become first team players at Stamford Bridge.
So they see selling them at their current market value to the likes of Saints but, putting in a clause for first refusal as something of a win win situation.
Take the Livramento deal for instance, he was unproven at Premier League level so was sold for his current value of around £5 million, if he fails to live up to expectations, then Chelsea have got some money from a player they have developed, but if he blossoms into a top class player then they have the option to buy him back ahead of any of their rivals.
This might sound a little strange, but for a club like Chelsea paying £40 million say to buy him back would be a drop in the ocean and they recognise he would not have developed at Stamford Bridge as he would at St Mary's and with 22 players out on loan this season he might well have stagnated.
So if the cost was an extra £35 million in 2 years time, some of that would be offset by his wages not being on the books and for them it suits their strategy, in effect let someone else take the risk that a youngster doesn't live up to expectations.
But Armando Broja is far more experienced than Tino, he had played a season in Holland with Vitesse Arnhem and scored 10 goals for them in the erividisie.
Back in the summer Transfermarkt had his value as around £3 million, less that we paid for Tino, since then his value has risen steadily and at last valuation back in December he was £8 million and rising.
So Saints would be keen to do business now, but will Chelsea be so keen, although their strategy is one of sell and keep the first refusal to buy him back, they still want to make money on the player, if he is around £10 million now as i suspect he would be given his steady rise, then why would the Blues sell him at that price, better to negotiate in the summer when there are more bidders and therefore the price will rise.
So perhaps it won't be straight forward, but there is definite grounds for discussion between the two clubs in this window.
Broja himself has said the right words about Saints, although he will fancy his chances at a shot at the first team at Stamford Bridge, he will also know that chances will be limited.
A move to Saints might have some appeal, especially if there is a buy back clause so that he can return to Chelsea if they want him.
For Saints they would obviously prefer to buy in players where they can control the transfer if the player wants to leave, but they are also realistic and they know know that in the words of the old adage "It is better to have loved and lost than never have loved"
In football terms that means that we know that we can't keep players forever when we develop them into top quality players, but if we can get their services for a time and then move them on for a tidy profit, then that is still preferable to never having them at all.
It will be an interesting month for Saints in the transfer window, I'm not expecting any big incoming signings, but I would not be surprised to see the odd promising youngster arriving or perhaps a big name loan deal.
For Saints the purse strings loosen in the summer when both Fraser Forster and Alex McCarthy are out of contract, that will be a saving of £7.5 million plus in wages, we won't be outbidding Liverpool or for that matter Chelsea, but we are back at the table and we will be able to go there on our own terms.