According to the media Saints have made a £10 million bid for a central defender that Russell Martin is very familiar with, but is this player the missing piece of the jigsaw I have been harping on about since 2017.
The rumour mill is turning and amongst others therealefl.co,uk are reporting that Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam is claiming that Southampton are in for Swansea City central defender Nathan Wood.
McAdam is reporting that Saints have bid an initial £7 million plus £3 million in add ons for the central defender he signed just over a year ago from Middlesbrough.
But is this the missing link that has been needed in the centre of our defence since Virgil Van Dijk & Jose Fonte both decided that they were too good for Southampton FC back in 2017.
Well the first stat would be no, Wood only turned 21 on the 31st May this year, he only played 5 League games for Middlesbrough plus 12 in a short loan spell at Crewe Alexandre and just 1 at Hibernian also on loan.
But Russell Martin had been following his career and having tried to sign him for MK Dons , finally got his man for Swansea City last summer.
Since then he has been pretty much a first choice for the Swans, last season he played 40 out of the 46 games and scored a goal, this season he has made 3 appearances and also scored.
He also won his first England U21 cap last season.
So from a stats perspective he isn't staring me in the face and making a great case to be the missing link, we need experience at the back and he hasn't got that.
What he has got though is pace and lets be honest neither Jack Stephens or Jan Bednarek are noted for their sprinting ability, Wood has clocked up 13 seconds in the 100 metres sprint and that was at age 13.
Russell Martin seems to rate him so that means that he is comfortable with the way that Martin sets out his sides and that bodes well.
Wood has 12 months left on his contract plus Swansea have another years option and £7 million would be a good mark up on the £250k they paid a year ago.
transfermarkt have his current value down as £5 million, so Saints should be able to get him for the £7 million suggested as being on the table by Sky Sports, although other reports close to Swansea in Wales are saying there has been no firm bid as yet.
Given that Russell Martin clearly rates him, he could well be a good buy, but I think we still need to add true leadership next to him in the back four if we are to cut down that goals against tally, I dont think Stephens, Bednarek or Lyanco can fill that gap.