Jan Bednarek's star has waned at Southampton in the last 12 months or so, but is seems that Aston Villa are not the only team now interested in him with David Moyes said to be about to line up a bid.
Saints central defender Jan Bednarek had a difficult season in 2021/22, he came back from the Euro's with Poland, but found himself on the bench for the first 4 games of the season, his only action being 45 minutes against Manchester United.
Rumours abounded of his head being turned, Ralph Hasenhuttl himself hinted as much, but he got in for the 5th game of the season and for a while he looked back to his old self, indeed he topped the Premier League table for most interceptions.
But by the final quarter of the season he looked lethargic and disinterested again and he ended the season where he started it, on the bench for the final two games.
So it was no surprise when rumours emerged in the summer that he wanted away and that Italian club Roma were first in line for his services.
At 26 in many respects it is not surprising that he would want a new challenge, in truth he has been Saints best central defender for much of the last 5 years, but in his own development he has perhaps not reached his potential.
He was thrown into the side at the tail end of the almost relegation season of 2017/18 at 21 an inexperienced player who should have had experienced players along side him talking him through games and bringing him on.
He had experience next to him, but he never had a leader or organiser or for that matter mentor to help him.
So it is no surprise that he has not become that leader, organiser or mentor that the likes of Salisu and now Bella-Kotchap need.
That is not a fault in his game, I have seen many great players who are not leaders but on the contrary need to be lead and talked through games right through their careers.
This summer the vibes coming out in the rumour mill were that Bednarek wanted away from St Mary's.
Saints for their part did not seem to be too bothered by the supposed interest in the player, with a value somewhere between £20-25 million, if there was someone out there willing to meet that valuation then perhaps this was the moment when it was time to sell.
Only the clubs rumoured to be after his services turned out not to be interested after all and those who saw Bednarek play in pre season saw a player who seemed less than committed and at times he seemed to be berating his younger team mates in the Saints defence.
After the side conceded six goals in the opening two games something had to change and at Leicester City on Saturday, Ralph Hasenhuttl went back to playing just two central defenders and it was Bednarek who found himself on the bench.
The fact that Aston Villa had been linked might have had something to do with the decision, indeed comparisons could be drawn with Wesley Fofana who was rested from the Foxes side and watched the game from the stands for that very 2020's excuse of his head not being in the right place.
Some uncharitable Saints fans suggested that Leicester, who in the past year or so have become a retirement home for Southampton defenders having taken both Jannik Vestergaard & Ryan Bertrand off our hands, could be the ideal place for Bednarek, hopefully in their end of game embrace Ralph might have whispered to Brendan that very thought.
But it seems a team in claret & blue might be his destination, with Villa already in the mix it seems that West Ham United are also looking at the Polish stopper, David Moyes who is looking to try and push his team into the top six and perhaps win a trophy has suddenly found that his side have been derailed, they have lost their opening three Premier League games conceding 5 goals in the process and have failed to score.
It seems that he wants to add Bednarek to his squad despite already having 5 central defenders on the books already including Thilo Kehrer whom they have only just signed from PSG.
But Saints could look to do a deal with either Villa or the Hammers with a player plus cash arrangement, Craig Dawson who at 32 could be the man to make way for Kehrer, he played 34 Premier League games last season for West Ham, but has already missed 3 this season with a muscle injury, he might be the ideal replacement for Saints for Bednarek.
Likewise at Villa, Tyrone Mings who started his career at St Mary's before joining Bristol Rovers, a short spell in non league before his career took off at Ipswich & Bournemouth and joining Villa 3 years ago is now seemingly out of favour with Steven Gerrard who is said to be after Jan Bednarek, again a deal could be done here.
The issue would be though age, Mings is said to be worth around £25 million, perhaps slightly higher than Bednarek, but at 29 he would not have much of a sell on value, so from this perspective it would not be attractive to Saints .
So that brings us back to West Ham, an offer of £20 million plus Craig Dawson who has just a year left on his West Ham contract could suit both clubs, for Saints it would put money in the bank, plus bring in that experienced player that we crave at the back.