With the transfer window opening in a little over two weeks, the rumour mill is going to start turning and reports are coming in from East London suggesting three players could be on the move between the two clubs.

West Ham fan website Hammers News are claiming that West Ham need to get players off the books to not only generate transfer money but also to free up cash for wages.

They claim that their top source inside West Ham has told them that Saints are interested in taking right back Ben Johnson to the South Coast, with the likelihood that Mason Holgate will return to Everton in January.

Johnson could be available for a low fee as he is out of contract in the summer of 2024

But that won't be the end of the dealings according to Hammers News, they say that West Ham could look to make the Johnson deal part of a move in the other direction for Kyle Walker Peters, they do however get this rumour slightly wrong saying that this could be a cut price deal for the Hammers as KWP is out of contract in the summer, this is not quite correct, hi deal with Saints doesn't expire until July 2025, so Southampton do have breathing space until the summer.

But this isn't the end of the transfer dealings, Danny Ings is tipped to be in line for a return to St Mary's again according to sources from within West Ham.

Ings is out of favour at the club and has managed just 130 minutes football in the Premier League and although West Ham would like to recoup some of the £12 million they paid for Ings, they will be more interested in getting his high wages off the books, Ings contract expires in 2025, so West Ham will be looking to persuade Saints to take Ings back to St Mary's.

The stumbling blocks in this being a triple deal though, is that Southampton are in no hurry to let Walker Peters go, he is a key player in the push for promotion and as the front runner for player of the season could well be the difference in going up and staying down.

That being the case keeping him and regaining the Premier League riches is not a big gamble, his value in January will not be much more than it will be in the summer should we not achieve promotion and need to sell him.

Danny Ings salary could be an issue in leaving West Ham, his is said to be on something around £120k a week , he is not going to give that up in a hurry, there will have to be a lot of give and take from both sides and the player, I would suggest that Ings will not go anywhere on a permanent deal, turning 31 in the summer and with his track record since leaving St Mary's in August 2021 seeing him score just 15 goals in 2 1/2 seasons, his earning power is under half of his current wage, if that.

So I would say that Saints could well be interested in Ben Johnson, but not at the expense of losing Kyle Walker Peters in this window, Danny Ings could be of interest as well, but not on a permanent move, taking him on loan though could be an option that appeals.

Photo: Action Images

saintmark1976 added 09:58 - Dec 16 Having made one ridiculous decision in signing Ross Stewart I would not put it past our board to compound the situation by getting involved with another sick note player in Danny Ings.
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SaintPaulVW added 11:06 - Dec 16 Ben Johnson for Holgate - maybe. Main reason to go out on loan is to play regularly. Holgate isn't getting the minutes. The other bits can't see happening unless West Ham want to pay good money for KWP. Ings won't move/loan if a wage cut is involved. Saints fans seem far more sentimental about Ings than Ings does about Saints.
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felly1 added 11:37 - Dec 16 Ahh the obligatory once year rumour that Ings is coming back... Lovely.
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YosemiteSaint added 18:56 - Dec 16 Would be nice to see Danny come back home. But, on the balance of evidence from today, we're not in need of strikers.
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Bowlercow added 19:52 - Dec 16 Johnson is a positive maybe I would only have Ings on loan It's a definite no to the KWP move Get Downes bought now
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landsdownsaint added 10:37 - Dec 17 Ings isn’t a risk worth taking plus he really let us & Ralph down , I’d like too see Mara step up coz theirs definitely a player there
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SaintBrock added 10:19 - Dec 18 I wonder if Ward Prowse has been shit stirring
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