After the departure of Aaron Ramsdale, Saints wave been considering whether they need to add to the goalkeeping department, although Will Still maintains that the number 1 spot is Gavin Bazunu's to lose.

One dilemma for Will Still was sorted late last week when Aaron Ramsdale joined Newcastle United on a season long loan, that in some respects was a relief for the new Saints manager, as it was one area of his team where it was clear who was staying and going.

If Ramsdale had still been at St Mary's this coming weekend Still would have had a decision to make and with 3 weeks left in the window it was a big one, did he play the best keeper, that was undoubtably Ramsdale and then risk see him go in the following 3 weeks before the window shut and alienate Gavin Bazunu who was likely to stay.

Both Ramsdale and Bazunu remained professional in the way they both handled the situation and when the former joined Newcastle, Bazunu responded on Saturday against Brighton with a faultless performance that saw him make several top saves that meant that his team were still in the game to be able to fight back and eek out a 2-2 draw.

Speaking to The Daily Echo after the Brighton game Will Still confirmed that he is in control of the situation and he along with the goalkeeping coach Ruben Martinez are considering their options.

"I think Gavin's done really well. I think he played really well last week out in Spain.

"He's done well today (Saturday). He's good, and I think as long as he's been as good as he is, he'll play. The best players will play.

"I think I've always said that. We need to check for numbers. Do we get an extra one in? I think we'll work that out over the course of the next few weeks.

"Ruben (Martinez, goalkeeper coach) knows what he's doing. It's just balancing out and identifying what we can get and when we can get it and how it all works. We'll wait and see."

One consideration must be to bring in a potential first choice keeper, someone who can push Bazunu for the number 1 spot, in truth Alex McCarthy at 35 will do a job but he isn't going to play a full season, truth is he never has, in 9 seasons at the club he has played just 134 League games, at times he has had extended runs in the side and been considered the number 1, but he has never managed a full season in that position.

He has been a very good back up keeper, a player who can put in a reasonable number of good games in the team, but not 38 -46 in a season.

So I think Still knows that he is short in this department and with Gavin Bazunu having suffered injury issues in the past two seasons and indeed seen both of those seasons ended prematurely through injury, there must be a question mark over his ability to stay fit.

Therefore I think Will Still is playing his cards close to his chest, he must know it would be folly to go past the transfer window deadline without adding to his goalkeeping squad, essentially after Bazunu & McCarthy he only has 17 year old Dylan Moody and talented as he may be, he is not ready for the physicality of the Championship.

So although Gavin Bazunu will deservedly start as the number 1 keeper, Still must bring in another shot stopper, the only question is how good that man is, I would suspect that we will look at a good experienced at Championship level keeper out of contract, someone like Joe Lumley when we signed him two years ago.

One option could have been former Southampton keeper Angus Gunn, but he is on the verge of a move from Norwich to join Nottingham Forest.

But one man who may well truly be on the radar is Australian International Mathew Ryan who has recently left RC Lens after his contract ended, we all know who also left Lens during the summer, Will Still the man who signed him back in the January transfer window.

Ryan at 33 has extensive top flight experience, he has played for Brugge & Genk in the Belgian Pro League, Valencia & Real Sociedad in Spain, AZ Alkmaar in Holland and a short spell in Denmark.

He also had 3 seasons as Brighton number 1 before losing his place in the 4th, playing 121 games in the Premier League in the process, also adding another 3 on loan at Arsenal, not to mention 100 caps for his country.

Now a free agent, you don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to make a case that he might well be joining Southampton, he has the track record and ability to step into the breach should Gavin Bazunu suffer either another injury or drop in form.

He would be the ideal man on all counts not least that he would not cost a penny.

All Photos Via Reuters