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Two Attacking Options Linked

Saints are being linked with two strikers in the latest round of speculation in the media, but how accurate are the reports.

The first player being linked is not new news, it is Liverpool's Danny Ings whose name seems to crop up on a regular basis despite suggestions from sources near to the club that Saints are not interested, at least not at the price being quoted a few weeks ago.

However with Liverpool spending big and needing to clear the decks, that price might well be dropping and it could ignite a move from Saints.

according to a report from John Percy of The Telegraph, Ings has asked to leave Anfield after being told he is behind Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Dominic Solanke and Rhian Brewster in the pecking order for the strikers role in the side, when you are behind Sturridge then you know it's time to leave.

The report also claims that Saints will face competition from both Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.

The second player linked also has Liverpool connections Luis Alberto spent 3 seasons on Liverpool's books, but two of them saw him out on loan, firstly to Malaga and then Deportivo.

Neither season really saw him suggest to Liverpool that he might break into their side and when Lazio offered 4 million euros in the summer of 2016 they snatched their hands off.

His first season in the Eternal city was not a great success but last season he caught fire and in 47 appearances in all competitions he scored 12 goals and provided 21 assists and this has made him hot property.

Some reports have suggested that his value might be as high as 31 million euros, but the reality is that Saints might be looking at nearer 20 milion euros for a player who can play either as a winger, as a number 10 or even as an out and out forward.

Saints would possibly be looking to fund this by selling and Manolo Gabbiadini has been linked with a move back to Italy and could feature in any deal, again Newcastle are being linked.

Some may say it's strange that Newcastle always seem to be linked to the same players, it is probably no more than both clubs have strong ties to the same agency, that was the case a few years ago when we seemed to be linked to every player that Liverpool went for, however they ended up with Phillipe Coutinho and we got Vegard Forren who we supposedly snatched from a Liverpool hotel room as he prepared for a week's trial at Liverpool in January 2013.

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