The January transfer window is about to open and I think there will be a few ins and outs at St Mary's before the month is out, here we take a look at who might be leaving and perhaps more importantly who might be coming in.

Russell Martin will have been working overtime with Saints Head of Recruitment Darren Mowbray and plotting just who will leave and who will be potentially joining the club.

The biggest question in the departure lounge will be Che Adams, Wolves certainly seem to be hovering and other Premier League clubs have been linked, with his contract up at the end of the season when he will be able to leave for nothing, that means that we might well see it as beneficial to cash in now and at least get some cash for him.

If he does go and bearing in mind Ross Stewart looks set to be out for the rest of the season I would expect Saints to be in the market for two strikers.

The first as was mentioned in a story earlier in the week is Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski, he is well known to Darren Mowbray and could be got for around £6 million, Saints may see that as good business if Adams was to go and the fee would fund Miovski's arrival.

Also linked is Danny Ings, there would be a mixed reaction if he were to return after his somewhat hasty departure, but goals change opinions and if he came started scoring then he would be the Prodigal Son and not a pariah.

It is said that West ham are keen to get his salary off the books, but they know that a loan is going to be the only option here as he is said to be on £120k a week, the Hammers would hope to cover that for the next 5 months and this would interest Southampton.

Even if they had to pay the whole salary, that is a low price to get in a scorer of the quality of Ings.

Sources in Southampton say that Ings is already preparing to move back into his house in the Southampton area after renting it out for the past couple of years and that this is a done deal.

So up front I only expect to see Adams leave but given Stewart's injury status, that two striker swill come in.

At the back Mason Holgate has not had a look in with the form of Taylor Harwood-Bellis & Jan Bednarek and with the return of Jack Stephens after injury who appears to be a particular favourite of Russell Martin it is believed that Holgate will return to Everton with his loan spell cut short, but will then be loaned out again.

It is a pity because Holgate in his final games for the club let no one down, ironically his last appearance came in the 2-1 win against West Brom back at the start of November, a game in which he was man of the match.

If Holgate does go then it is a difficult issue for Martin and Mowbray, can they risk having only 3 experienced central defenders at the club, although James Bree has also played in that position so they might feel that they would struggle to attract a player of decent quality even on loan due to the low chances of the player getting any more game time than Holgate.

So I think if Holgate leaves then they might see that the 4 options they have including Bree might be enough, given that Shea Charles can also do a job there as well as Dynel Simeu who has played in League One out on loan.

An outside bet to go might be Kameldeen Sulemana, undoubtably a talent, but there was that nagging doubt that his heart was not truly in it, he has had some good performances this season, but he has been inconsistent and ultimately a loose cannon in a system that relies on each player doing a job.

If he goes we are linked with several other players, not least Amad Diallo who is linked with joining from Manchester United, although many Saints fans might feel that with the likes of Sam Edozie starting to flourish, Ryan Fraser in fine form and several youngsters such as sam Amo-Ameyaw chomping at the bit that getting our money back on Sulemana might be a good idea and that he would not need to be replaced.

Otherwise I don't see too many others leaving St Mary's aside from perhaps the odd member of the academy side.

I think in terms of incoming that Russell Martin will think that in the main his squad is well covered in all positions other than up front where we will need at least one in possibly two if Che Adams leaves and the potential arrival of a wide player.

We have built the best squad in the Championship as has been proved once the initial issues were solved, we do not need to tinker with it that much, if Saints made only two signings and they were both experienced strikers I would not be too disappointed.

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codge added 12:58 - Dec 31 Thanks Nick for all the good work you have done again this year,happy New Year to you and all of the Saints supporters on this site have a lot to look forward to COYR.
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Centurion added 13:05 - Dec 31 Yes, happy New Year Nick. I really do appreciate your take on the games, the previews and other articles. My dream is at the end of the season you will be giving an in depth analysis to a very successful season!
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saintmark1976 added 13:10 - Dec 31 We should go for Danny Ings. After all, I expect Ross Stewart would welcome a new face in the treatment room to keep him permanent company until the end of the season. Ings is a career long injury prone has been, who left us purely for the money. If £120,000 per week is correct, how his agent persuaded West Ham to employ him must be the greatest feat of salesmanship since someone sold London Bridge to some unsuspecting American.

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mushinexile added 15:01 - Dec 31 Sadly, I agree with Saintmark. Ings was a good scorer for us but although his loss was keenly felt, it was made to look far worse because he was not replaced. I don't want to see another bloody crock who is always getting broken. The current team is strong and settled. An intermittently available player unbalances that. Sometimes it can't be helped but it is not a thing you consciously work for. We need somebody fit and able. If that were to cost as much as Ings, then There is the money to buy somebody useful

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underweststand added 15:52 - Dec 31 If this is a "normal window " for Saints... we will end up getting in players that no-one has ever heard of...but it might be that Diallo won't move South whilst other clubs " up north are " more interested". The idea of signing Miovski sounds encouraging..( a goal-scoring CF over 6 foot tall ? ..haven't had one of those in a while), but the rumoured return of Danny Ings is a head / heart question for both player and the fans. If he does come and scores 8 goals before Easter ...no-one will argue the deal was a good one. Expect RM to bring in one or two of his former players on free transfers, but a whole lot will depend on the likelihood / possibility of KWP moving to WHam and finding suitable full back replacements PDQ.

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Bowlercow added 16:10 - Dec 31 If Holgate is recalled we must get another CB One of those mentioned by Nik has a long term injury and whilst Bree and Charles have played there they are not naturals There is a link to another Riss old boy who is available for free and can play either FB position and that again is needed Bree's injury is an unknown so if either Manning or KWP get crocked we only have Stevens to cover the whole back line I would like to see Che stay and preferably signed a new contract He fits well with the squad and is more than capable at this level I would welcome Ings on loan but not with an obligation to buy If we don't go up this year then loan him again next season

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SaintNick added 16:46 - Dec 31 Firstly thanks for the kind words and New Years wishes from some of you and the same back to all of you. Before we froth at the mouth at some of the linked players, we should remember they are all rumours at the moment, some with more substance than others, so its all just topics for discussion at the moment. Ings wont come with any obligation if he arrives, he will not want to be giving up his high wage contract at West Ham a year early, so he will probably be loaned out again next season, but they might be able to get him permanently off the books this time next year. Ings fitness hasn't been a issue for a while, he has been on the bench most of this season, but has started 1 game, 9 as sub and the rest bench warming. Last season he played in 35 of the 38 games he could have played for both Villa & West Ham & on the bench 3 times so no injury issues. In his first season at Villa he played in 30 of the 38 games was an unused sub on 3 occasions and missed just 5 games In his last season at St Mary's played in 29 of the 38 games and the season before that he appeared in all 38. So you have to go back to his first season with us in 2018 when he played 24 of the 38 Premier League games for the last time he had real in just issues. So Ings being injury prone doesnt have much basis in the last 5 years and certainly not in the last 2 1/2 years since he left us.

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davidargyll added 17:45 - Dec 31 Ings loan on £125/- pw? Ridiculous Ings loan on £50/-pw? Good move
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mascott514 added 18:06 - Dec 31 Ings is a good punt. Probably more than happy as an impact sub, at a club he thrived at. He's got a good footballing brain, and will have the technical ability to fit in with Martin's style. Apart from that, no real need to dip in. I feel Che will head off, but I wish him well, and hope he flourishes elsewhere. If he stays, great, as he has a good attitude, and works harder than his goal tally. Happy NY to all-

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SanMarco added 00:31 - Jan 1 As SaintMark has got ahead on the Ings keeping Stewart company in the treatment room joke I will simply say HNY to you all, especially of course Nick. His "why we were promoted" analysis in May will be a joy to read!!!!
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landsdownsaint added 09:24 - Jan 1 Happy new year to Nick Be good too see Mara step up , so much talent in their . We should break the bank to keep KWP he’s irreplaceable as os bazunu gaffs n all
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IanRC added 10:21 - Jan 1 Happy New Year to Nick and all site contributors and thanks for all your work Nick. I cannot however agree with you about Sulemana, particularly your comment about lack of commitment. I remember him chasing back just as hard as Sam Edozie. We are fortunate that Sam has stepped up but I still think Sulemana is an invaluable player for us. Game time can be split between the two minimising injury risk and frightening the life out of defenders hoping for an easier ride towards the end of games.

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