Five years ago Liverpool looked like they were determined to make Southampton their feeder club, but it seems they now have a rival in Aston Villa who having already signed one Saints are now linked with two more.

Newly promoted Aston Villa seem to admire the Southampton squad with as much passion as Liverpool appeared to do for the last few years, firstly they have signed Matt Targett for a not insubstantial fee and now they are linked with not just one but another two of our players.

Villa are reportably interested in goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and central defender Jack Stephens, both of whom could be surplus to requirements at St Mary's next season as Saints look to trim their squad by as many as 10 players free up space for new arrivals.

McCarthy would be a good signing for Villa, he is a reliable keeper and would put pressure on current number 1 at Villa Park Jed Steer who although had a great second half of the season the Clarets, has spent much of his 6 years at the club on loan in the lower divisions, indeed only returning in January from his latest loan spell at Charlton.

Jack Stephens is also said to be on the Villa radar and certainly will be down the pecking order at St Mary's should Saints bring in another central defender this summer.

So it looks like Aston Villa are taking the Liverpool approach to the transfer market, manager Dean Smith has not yet been spotted in Brendan Rodgers favourite tree overlooking Staplewood, but pre season training only started a couple of days ago and it likely that he will be in the Marchwood area for most of next week.

Locals are being asked to be vigilant and if they are asked for directions to the Staplewood campus by a stranger with a Brummie accent they are asked to drive him there themselves and also to offer him and up to four passengers a free lift back to Villa Park for free.

Photo: Action Images

SalisburySaint added 12:16 - Jul 4 big difference here Villa taking players who in the main we want rid of, Liverpool took our star players
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codge added 12:32 - Jul 4 Please take Stephens you would be doing us a massive favor.
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SonicBoom added 12:55 - Jul 4 Liverpool were like thieves raiding us and stealing our jewellery. Villa are like binmen, coming round to collect our rubbish.
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kenis added 13:22 - Jul 4 Add in Austin and rumours of Jay-rod and they could have 5 ex-saints in their first team!
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bstokesaint added 13:57 - Jul 4 They are the anti-Liverpool. Would be a fantastic result to clear out some of the poorer players. Even if we don’t get much for them it would trim the wage bill. Just one thing, if Stephens does go please can we sign two decent defenders. Yoshi and Vestergaard need to be pushed.
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SaintBrock added 12:45 - Jul 5 Nice try Nick, more likely it is a convenient dumping ground for our old used "stars".
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LoisDeem added 19:38 - Jul 5 Schh...know what I mean Saint?
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underweststand added 10:04 - Jul 6 There were games where Jack Stephens gave a stand-out perfomance - only that follow with a shocker. His lack of consistancy was apparant to all. He may do much better (as we know that) there is a world of difference between the top of the Championship and the bottom end of the Prem. Jack may be more consistant at the lower level, and improve enough to keep his spot - if /when Villa get promoted.. Many players don't make the transition. Just look at the Saints players that came up from the Championship compared with the squad just 2 years later. Both Matt Targett and (possibly ) Jack S. look good enough to hold down a regular spot in a Championship side..whether or not they would survive a new career in the Prem. is open to question, but like Sam .G, Matt T. and a few others they've reached an age when they must be playing regularly if they are to have a career at a high level.

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underweststand added 10:07 - Jul 6 The P.S. to this is that Villa may well be coming back to Saints in the futuire for a few more additions to their revived squad, although they are hardly likely to fork out £30-40 million for others that might eventually leave us for Villa Park.
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