According to reports Saints are only looking to make one signing on Deadline Day, but is this accurate or are the club looking to bring someone in under the radar.

The Daily Echo seems to be preparing Saints fans expectations for today, it is saying that if it was not for the injury to Jeremy Pied that the clubs transfer dealings this summer would probably be already concluded.

The only deal likely to be done is if Saints can bring in a right back either permanently or on loan so they can sell Cuco Martina to Everton for £2.5 million, a deal in my opinion which would be an excellent piece of business.

But that would seem to be the only negotiations to be done unless the club are playing their cards very close to ther chest and are trying to do something under the radar.

Saints are also understood to be now intending to keep Jay Rodriguez rather than send him out on loan and this could be the reason why they might not persue and further striking options.

Although that will not please some Saints supporters, in my opinion with Rodriguez staying we have three proven Premier League strikers with the addition of Shane Long and Charlie Austin, these are three players who between them have the capabilities to hit 45 goals plus, outside of the big six clubs there perhaps isn't another club in the Premier with this luxury of choice especially when you add Nathan Redmond and new signing Sofiane Boufal into the mix.

I'm sure that some Saints fans will disagree, but back in January when Charlie Austin joined most considered him an upgrade on Pelle and the Italian's natural replacement, so what has changed ?

Yes of course there is the injury issues with both Austin and Rodriguez, but sometimes you have to take calculated risks.

Personally the news that Saints might not be bringing in any other signings is shocking to me from the fact that the real position we lack depth in is in central defence, last season we got lucky in that neither Fonte or VVD got injured or suspended, we probably will not be so lucky this time around and our only cover in this position is Yoshida or the long term injured Florin Gardos, a player that has now not played a single first team game in over 18 months.

I think the central defensive situation pales the striking one into insignificance, the fact that we have done nothing about it in the summer is to me the biggest folly of Saints summer.

But most of the supporters don't seem bothered about this, they just want to see a striker brought in and if one isn't then the recriminations will start and the accusing fingers will be pointed, with the same headline rants about Katharina Liebherr refusing to spend and Les Reed being inept.

The main gripe will be about how we cannot continue to sell players every year and still challenge for the top six, that is not a proven fact but subjecture, the real truth is that we cannot match the spending power of the big six for even one year, we have no choice other than to take the route we have done and make it work, despite what some would have you believe.

But that is not to say that we will always get it right and I do feel and hopefully I may be a little premature with still 15 hours to go of the transfer window at time of writing, that we have not made the best of this window, we are not far from doing so and if we spent the remainder of the £25 million or so we are still up from this summers transfers, then it could well be a very very good summer, but at 9am Wednesday morning that is looking a very big IF.

Photo: Action Images

Bettwsresident added 18:20 - Aug 31 I hope Stephen's is ready I really do. I am equally concerned by the lack of cover at CB and Fontes performances this term. VVD has bailed him out repeatedly and can't be asked to continue to do so. Cover also provides competition and that improves performance. As for Hojberg replacing Wanayama. I think we have another upgrade, but the system is at fault. The defence has been awesome the past 2 seasons and been what saints success has been based one but relied on pressing up the pitch and a back 6 with 2 holding midfielders. Romeu and Hojberg can play that role and Hojberg offers more going forward. The attack is making chances, 53 shots in first 3 games proves that. That only 2% went in is more concerning, but we had a period like this in Aug/Sept and Nov/Dec last year with Pelle and Mane when 183 shots only scored 8 goals. It is swings and roundabouts and the same players were slotting them in Jan and April/May. I still have faith that in Long/Austin/JRod being fed by Boufal/Tadic/Davies/Redmond we have a potent attack.

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DPeps added 21:17 - Aug 31 Quiet night for us... is Les tucked up with his mug of cocoa? Can't believe the players Stoke have got in. Stoke!
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SaintPaulVW added 22:03 - Aug 31 I just wish they would say 'no signings today' or 'only one signing if it comes off'.
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Ali_Diarea added 22:57 - Aug 31 where does Boufal fit into the diamond? Can he play Tadic and Boufal in the same diamond? Who covers Romeu when he is suspended or injured? Who covers fonts or vvd when they are suspended or injured? Is Ryan Bertrand really that pivotal to our success (God help us if he is)? Who's gonna score 15+ goals in a season to win us matches? Lots of unanswered questions as the transfer window closes. I appreciate that occasionally you need to take one step back before you can take two steps forward but my concern is that our rivals are all moving forward now and we're being left behind. Good luck to the new manager he has one hell of a job on his hands. I really hope we don't look back on the Koeman years as the "golden years" of Sfc.

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legineloc added 09:21 - Sep 1 I hope that the season goes well but I think that competing in four competitions we might be a little light, Jr staying is a result but Charlie & JR lack of games last season due to injury is a gamble & Charlie looks not fully fit, you have Zara & Bony going to stoke on loan both could have done a job for us, the lack of reinforcements is a bigger concern, we are putting a lot on the shoulders of Fonte & VVD, with Fonte having a long season with playing in games in Euro16, hoping that they don't get injured, we have brought well but mostly in mid field & players that are good but will improve, the money spent on players have come mostly from the sale of players, I know that we can't compete against the main players, but we have the fifth highest season ticket price & must be competing with our main competitors(West Ham,Stoke,Everton etc) in the last few years we have improved, I think they hope that if anything goes wrong that our youngsters will come to the rescue, but fear that we will panic buy in Jan

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