The Derby Telegraph are linking Derby County with a summer move for the services of young Saints striker Sam Gallagher.
Usually when a local paper comments on its football team the headlines have a little more substance than those in the national press, there are some Saints fans who do not like our own Daily Echo, but the reality is that barring a few years under our previous Chairman the Echo has always enjoyed a close relationship with Southampton Football Club.
That is the case with most local papers, so when the Derby Telegraph are suggesting that Sam Gallagher is being lined up for a loan move to Derby County they have got that information from somewhere and unless the club had asked them to keep it under their hats then they wouldn't print gossip like this without substance.
Derby along with Wolves has scouts at the recent U21 Cup final to watch Gallagher but it is believed that Derby County are considering a summer loan move for the striker.
But would Saints welcome experience for Gallagher elsewhere next season ?
The initial thought are that they might, certainly as much as Ronald Koeman was impressed with Gallagher on Monday night in his pre match press conference he admitted he is still some way from the first team at the moment. When asked whether Gallagher may have staked a claim for a place in the squad against Spurs the manager said.
"No because we have at the moment enough players in our first team but of course it’s one of the players that did a great job last Monday,”
"I don’t like to mention one player because the whole team was amazing with a fantastic spirit in the team.
"We know we have a lot of young players and Sam Gallagher was struggling this season with several injuries and little by little he is back in his physical state you need to play the first team.
"Five games left of the season and sometimes he will be part of the training sessions but to come in the first 18 is quite difficult.”
That tends to suggest that Gallagher is not quite ready yet for Saints and that a loan move might be the next step in his progression to gain some experience, however if that happens his destination may depend on the Championship play offs, both Derby and Wolves are in with a chance, if either were to be promoted then they would presumably then have the funds and the need to buy in experience' however only one of them can go up, so it could be that the Championship play offs have a nice consolation prize, Sam Gallagher on loan for the losers.