Saints could be about to hijack the move of a Brazilian striker according to sources in Italy,
Latest name to be linked with a move to St Mary's is striker Paulinho from Italian club Livorno.
Paulinho has been linked with a move to Stoke City in the past week and has looked set to move to middle east club Al Jazira, last season Paulinho scored 15 times in 35 league games as well as chipping in with 6 assists.
Livorno seem keen to sell though with the statement from their president that they would do what is best for the player and the club suggesting that they need the money.
Drawback though is the players track record, he will be 29 in January but has done little in his career of note so far before last season, he joined Livorno back in 2005 but seems to have spent much of the time since on loan in the Italian lower leagues, both with Livorno who have been a yo yo club between Serie A & B in his time there and then on loan firstly with Groseto and secondly with Sorrento, judging by statistics when Livorno have been in Serie B he has been in the squad, but could not seem to make the breakthrough whenever they returned to the top flight meaning he was loaned out.
But last season he finally seems to have made the breakthrough in Serie A but Livorno don't seem to see him as long term and are keen to cash in now on a player who they might find just got lucky last term.
Given his age and pedigree though it is likely that this would be a fairly low key signing for Saints, aimed more at bolstering the squad's strength in depth rather than the player being looked at as the number one striker, however you never know what might happen in these sort of deals, after all Rickie Lambert was a journeyman lower league striker when we signed him in 2009, even Rickie's biggest fan would never have predicted what would happen in the five years since.