There are some who read a media report and take it as gospel, but the latest player linked to Saints show's how the rumour mill is fuelled by agent's trying to put their players in the shop window rather than anything concrete.

Saints have apparently joined West Ham in the pursuit of Bartlomiej Dragowski, the 21 year old Polish goalkeeper who plays for Fiorentina in Italy although last season spent time at Empoli.

In a game against Atalanta Dragowski made a Serie A record 17 saves and this seems to have led to his agent touting him around Europe.

Turning 22 in August his career so far has not been full of highlights, in the main at Fiorentina whom he joined from Jagiellonia Białystok in his native Poland, he has been third choice and has a mere 7 Serie A appearances to his name in his three seasons.

So there is not much there to suggest he is hot property, at International level he has played at most levels but only 5 times for the U21 side and not at all for the full international side, however it could be said that in many respects his career is better than that of Jan Bednarek when he joined us.

But why would Saints be chasing a goalkeeper? we have Angus Gunn, Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster and we need to offload one of them and even when we do , that would leave Dragowski only third choice if he joined.

At the stage in his career he is at he needs to go to a club where he has a reasonable chance of the first team and that would not be Saints.

So this rumour highlights just how the transfer rumour market has little truth in it and is made up of agents and clubs trying to put players into the shop window and by linking other clubs of a good standard drive up the price.

I seem to say this every year after once again reading social media full of Saints supporters reeling in shock and horror and ranting about Saints ineptitude in the transfer market in signing a keeper/midfielder etc when they should be looking at other areas.

The truth is that just because it is in the media doesn't mean it is true, do people think that a journalist has rung up Saints who have put him through to Ralph Hasenhuttl who has dutifully gave him a list of all the players he is targeting, clubs play their cards close to their chest, although some rumours turn out to be true the majority aren't

Few transfers are actually done before July 1st for several reasons, firstly in most years by the time the Champions League final and various Internationals are completed it is mid June and then players have to have a holiday, secondly it is in the interest of a player to be at his current club on July 1st and trigger a loyalty bonus before moving and thirdly the selling club will want to ensure they have go t the highest price for the player before they sell him.

That is where more rumours come in, when a club receives a bid they will brief their favoured media outlets that not only have they had one bid but other clubs have also contacted them.

So the message in this transfer window and indeed every summer is that we need to keep calm and stop flying into frenzies each time a rumour hits the mill.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 12:02 - May 24 Goalkeepers are the last line if defence and they all makes mistakes. We discussed goalies on a recent thread, and so if this guy is any good at all - he must surely be on "The Black Box" somewhere, and he might play well with Bednarek in front of him... but It'll be for Ralph to make a decision. Our mainline goalies need to understand that no-one has a guaranteed place - least of all goaiies and they must all make career decisions - even if it means not playing and sitting on the bench for a season -or two. Of course, they 've all been on v.g.money, but any footballer worth his salt will surely wasnt to play .and not be a reserve all his career. Personally I'd like to see another Shilton or Niemi in Saints colours (or whatever colour their shirts our now) but for one reason or another, I don't see another on the club books at the moment.

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SaintBrock added 14:19 - May 24 Do not underestimate Angus Gunn, he was good enough to be on Man City's books after all. Future top six keeper and England No 1
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underweststand added 15:35 - May 24 to Saint Brock. I for one don't underestimate Gunn, but he still has a bit to learn and in the last few weeks of the season he made blunders; (1) waved away a wall in front of him and conceded from a free kick in the England U23 game he played in, (2) It will take time for him to forget that idiotic schoolboy error in Huddersfield game that gifted them a goal. He's still young, and must learn, but sometimes he seems a tad "over confident" about his own ability. Long term his fee may seem like "a steal ", but although he came from City (via Norwich) he didn't play for them in the Prem. and that's just what we are asking him to do for us. However, in our present squad - he's still the best of the bunch.

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