Cedric Soares sounds more like a medical condition than a footballer, but the media is reporting Saints have pipped Stoke City for his signature.

Soares name came into the Saints frame a week or two ago as did the names of several other right backs across the continent, now it seems Saints could be about to sign the 23 year old Portugese right back signalling that they are resigned to losing Nathaniel Clyne.

Stoke had been hoping to land the player, but the local Stoke paper is saying that they have been beaten to his signature by Saints and that view has been echoed across several other news sources.

Soares who will be 24 in August has had three good seasons with Sporting and this has lead to him being capped at International level for Portugal.

His profile looks just the sort of player that Saints will be targeting in future, it will be sad to see Clyne go, but the reality is that for a club of the standing of Saints the key to success will be buying players with potential and bringing them to the top of their game and when they exceed their worth to the side selling them on.

This process was highlighted last year with the departure of Luke Shaw, then Shaw was doing a £10 million pound job for the team, it was a no brainer to sell him for £28 million and then bring in Bertrand for £10 million and Saints have to continue this process taking a step forward as a team each time.

You get the feeling that Saints are happy for Clyne to go as long as they get the right money, a lot has been mentioned in the press this week about Clyne's attitude in the England squad leading Roy Hodgson to comment that he cannot expect to just walk in the side, of course we all empathise with Clyne's predicament with Phil Jones being picked ahead of him, but the feeling in football is that he has perhaps got a bit too big for his boots lately and that being the case Saints are comfortable moving him on now.

However it might not be so easy for Clyne to find greener pastures although there is a lot of paper talk the reality is that if United aren't interested then Liverpool offer no better than Saints and indeed are a club at the crossroads, this season will be one that makes of breaks Brendan Rodgers and the smart money is not on the former.

Of course though it needs to be for the right price and with the right replacement and Saints are working hard to do that, for the price Soares looks to be a great capture, although ideally we would still keep Clyne thus offering us cover and options.

Photo: Action Images

BaselSaint added 13:48 - Jun 17 pron. Swarez not Sores I imagine.
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ChristchurchSaint added 15:18 - Jun 17 As you say Nick, hopefully this is to provide RB cover which we did not really have last season. Whether NC goes remains to be seen, but if he does, we definitely need another player to cover the position, whether it be another newcomer or maybe even someone from the Academy who can cover Cup matches/EL/injuries etc.
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A1079 added 15:55 - Jun 17 Strategically, has the club decided not to entertain purchasing any home grown players from any of our home based leagues?
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johncutler285 added 16:43 - Jun 17 Has anyone thought Tha we could be keeping Clyne and that the new lad could be used in cups / after European games, we are very short at right back!
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mesquita added 18:31 - Jun 17 As someone who lives in Portugal and has watched this guy on tv I can tell you that he is excellent. Defensively sound, with a great shot and superb technique. Just Google his name and watch the vídeos. A brilliant purchase and if Clyne stays Cedric will put real pressure on him for his place.
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corkcitysaint added 19:03 - Jun 17 Competition for places is what we need. If Clyne does go, we still need cover. Looks like Trippier is off to the "north London yobos"
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DPeps added 19:06 - Jun 17 Hope this is competition for Clyne rather than his replacement. A1079 - it would be nice to sign homegrown players but who would you get at RB, say? Trippier will go to Spurs, Micah Richards will be on an inflated wage now at Villa, and other players like Sam Byram from Leeds are untested at the top level. We've got a good academy so are producing our own players. We just have to get good enough so that they don't leave (e.g. like Chambers)

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bstokesaint added 20:21 - Jun 17 It's perfectly plausible to have two right backs fighting for position. If Clyne goes I've kind of come to accept it already, but I don't necessarily think it signals he's definitely off, unless we sign another right back!
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SaintBrock added 12:26 - Jun 19 After Hodgson's knock back the other day (one swallow does not a summer make) Nat will not be in the best frame of mind right now and that uncertainty of his future may well be enough to persuade him to stay. The signing of this new lad may swing it either way, the positive might be that Nat will think... "hang on a minute, even my starting place at Saints is no longer guaranteed, as well as England not seeing me as automatic first choice" which doesn't sound like a recipe for success at any new club he joins especially a top four club. So maybe he will elect for caution and that usually means staying put.

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