With transfer rumours flying around, the big question for Saints supporters is whether they will or for that matter can do business with Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

Relationships between Southampton Football Club and Tottenham Hotspur have been strained for the best part of 15 years, ever since the White Hart lane club poached Glenn Hoddle from the Dell in such an underhand way and then returned to take away Dean Richards with derisory offers that made Rupert lowe describe them as North London Yobboes.

Since then relationships have rarely thawed and reached an all time Lowe (all pun intended) after they tried to get Mauriccio Pochettino to join them in another underhand manner, it truly was a match made in heaven.

Since then they have made various bids for our players both directly and not so directly in the case of Toby Alderweireld, but it seems that Saints have been determined not to do business with Spurs if they can help it.

Certainly they have rebuffed all attempts to buy players under contract to us, however perhaps that has hindered us in our attempts to get the one man at Whire Hart Lane that Ronald Koeman seems to covet, that man is Andros Townsend.

Saints are bing linked with a plethora of wingers, but Townsend is the only one with true Premier League credentials and perhaps the stumbling block is that Spurs won't sell him to us unless we sell them who they want and that at the moment is Victor Wanyma.

But in January Townsend looks likely to force move from Spurs and they are keen to sell given that with their new ground development they can no longer afford to wast money as they have done in the past.

With the European Championships looming Townsend knows he needs first team football on a regular basis and he is not getting that at Spurs, so far in the premier League he has only managed 3 appearances as a substitute totaling only 64 minutes of football, the last of which was two months ago.

Now he is struggling to even get on the bench under Mauricio Pochettino with his last onfield action being in the Europa League on 22nd October, both club and player are keen to part ways.

Newcastle are keen to sign him and the fee being quoted in the media is £8 million, at that prie Saints would be keen, however would Spurs be willing to let him join us so easily ?

the likelihood is that they will use him as a bargaining tool to try and wrest Victor wanyama from our grasp and that will be bad new for all parties concerened, especially the player who is keen to get on the pitch and show Roy Hodgson he is the man to take to the Euros.

That could also mean that whoever gets him will get a player determined to prove a point .
A few weeks ago Saints would have been dead certs to beat Newcastle to his signature, but with the geordie revival avoiding relegation looks more likely and that could be a big factor in where he goes.

Townsend is something of an enigma, he seems to have been around for ages but at 24 he doesn't have as much experience as you might imagine, he has only started 22 league games for Spurs plus another 28 as sub and has been at nother 9 clubs on loan, in fact his only other Premier League experience is 12 starts for QPR in the second half of their relegation season of 2012/13.

That suggests that his value is way above his actual experience and his 10 caps for England and 3 goals indicate he has done better for his country than the clubs he has played for.

Indeed last season he only started 10 games for Spurs in the Premier plus another 7 as sub, meaning that out of the last 54 Premier league matches for Spurs he has started less than a fifth and by the time the transfer window has opened will have got on the pitch in barely a third of them.

So will Saints do business in January with Tottenham Hotspur ? we wait with baited breath.

Photo: Action Images

DPeps added 12:24 - Dec 15 If Newcastle are interested run away!
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halftimeorange added 12:30 - Dec 15 Rumour is he has off-field problems such as heavy betting and I recall he recently fell out with a coach at Spurs over his application to training. Although undoubtedly gifted would he bring disruption to to what must be our already dejected (or complacent) dressing-room? On current displays a straight swap for Wanyama might be beneficial for both clubs although we would need a hard man replacement for VW.

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simmo400 added 13:04 - Dec 15 Wanayama can go there and were have Townsend + 10 million. deal done.
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bstokesaint added 13:11 - Dec 15 I'm not convinced he's the kind of player we need. We're definitely crying out for creativity and goals, but could he really turn it on for us, when Spurs don't think he can? I too have heard his off-field antics aren't exactly good.I certaily wouldn't want to see us waste money if there's a budget. I saw a good post the other day which mentioned about us adjusting our expectations as Saints' fans. I think this is a sensible suggestion for this season, although it's too early to write-off the rest of the season. There is time to turn it around and there's still a cup to play for too.

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BoondockSaint added 13:50 - Dec 15 If he's not good enough for that mid table team, we don't need him. Plus has a crap attitude-we might as well have kept Osavaldo-more talent and needless to say aggressive attitude. Yeah, we need creativity, but Gaston never gets a game!
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GeordieSaint added 14:19 - Dec 15 Get him in!!! Caulker needs a mate to go on the lash with. Can't be much fun having no one to go to the boozer with when training finishes at lunchtime.
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dirk_doone added 15:24 - Dec 15 Oh great, another sick note, who hasn't played 90 minutes of league football for years, to add to the pay roll. No wonder, Spurs want to offload him.
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schatfield added 15:31 - Dec 15 He aint sick, he has been playing with the spuds under 21s, and doing quite well apparently. Got the attitude though hasnt he. Maybe your right, Caulker needs a mate to go on the lash with! And a good chance to offload our pal Mr who-cant-pass 10 yards Wanyama.
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saintmark1976 added 15:59 - Dec 15 Why on earth would we wish to get involved with a player who the world and his wife say has an off the pitch problem.Did we learn nothing from the Osvaldo situation? Forgetting the above is he that good in any event? To me he looks like a journey man professional. The type of player that the Dark Lord used to call a "chalk jockey".
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dirk_doone added 16:07 - Dec 15 Do we never learn? Spurs have always ripped us off in the transfer market. Wanyama for Townsend would be as bad as Chivers for Saul.
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dirk_doone added 16:08 - Dec 15 He has played one and a half games for the U21s and I saw the last one, a 2-0 defeat to Saints U21s, in which he got subbed after an hour. He did not look anywhere near 100% fit.
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IWOZTHERE added 09:20 - Dec 16 Haven't seen a lot of him but not that impressed and surprised he still features for England. Too much baggage for me and unfit? Ideally we need somebody full of confidence who'll 'hit the ground running' to help spark us off again. Obviously lots of reservations generally, so I reckon our supporters would be 'on his back' pretty quickly. Too risky I think.
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SanMarco added 11:02 - Dec 16 Toby Alderweireld wasn't our player and they were perfectly entitled to go in for him but other than that I agree that we would be foolish to do business with Spurs - especially for a player we don't need. Levi is a bully who wants to buy cheap. We should tell Victor that he is free to go in the summer but if he wants to go to Spuds he will have to see his contract out first. Hopefully a big club will then come in with an offer (because let's face it - he will be going).

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SaintPaulVW added 11:28 - Dec 16 Levi is a sharp businessman and with our 3 year sign on policy we aren't doing ourselves any favours. I get why we do it but by the time a player has established themselves we virtually have to flog them on as the last yearof contract is fast approaching. Players are employees with very short careers and you are always going to lure them with more cash. Really not sure what the solution is but not dealing with Spurs is absurd as you will cut the price by cutting the demand. Get good players locked into long contracts is the only solution, although it means more risk, as that would increase the price but if someone wants to leave, they'll leave.

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SaintBrock added 18:51 - Dec 17 Nope!
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