The rumour mill is kicking into force and the latest striker to be linked is at the moment plying his trade in Italy with Udinese, is this latest link got any truth in it or is it just agent talk.

The man in question is Udinese's Portugese centre forward Norberto Bercique Gomes Betuncal or to give him the name on his shirt Beto.

The 24 year old had a slow start to his career before June 2019, joining Portimonense S.C. on a four-year contract, in his two seasons with the club in the top flight in Portugal he scored 13 goals in 44 appearances, earning him a move to Udinese in Serie A initially on na season long loan, then converted in the summer of 2022 into a permanent deal for 7 million euros.

This season has seen him score 6 times in 15 Serie A games for his club and now it is being rumoured that Southampton might see him as a potential saviour.

His current market value is said to be about 13 million euros so that would mean that Saints might have to pay anywhere between £10-13 million to land him.

At around 6ft 3 he has the height needed and lacking in the Saints attack, he has not been a regular started for Udinese, but has been an effective impact player off the bench and his goals to minute ratio of 1 every 114 minutes is quite impressive.

This one might have some foundation to it.

Photo: Action Images

Centurion added 15:44 - Jan 3 a tall order to save our Premier League status. However, if he is prepared to stick around, could be OK for the Championship.
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underweststand added 16:43 - Jan 3 What's that ? ...a striker over 6 feet tall ? ....let's sign him ASAP. Ever since the distant days of Ron Davies, I've always looked for Saints to have " a big man up front " . Davies could score with headers as well as his feet, and despite tales to the contrary Davies scored far more with his feet than his goal tally and spectacular headers might suggest. Since when every generation have turned up a striker who could dominate the opposing box and find the net. Channon, Clarke, MLT of course (although he was never officially classed as a striker). Later Beattie and then came Lambert (scoring every type of goal you could imagine) . Glorious Pelle, never a record goal scorer, but very spectacular and his mere presence in the oppositions box was enough to bring the crowd to its feet. Typical Saints to bring someone in who few have heard of, but for goodness sake let's get a big man (or even two) up front to bring some life to the strike force and score goals.

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Block8 added 17:01 - Jan 3 Easy to say but we need someone who can hit the ground running & maybe a loan deal would be better in January, remember Carrillo, panic buying doesn't often work! Signing a creative midfielder to speed up play through the middle is a definite requirement. Our 13 direct attacks (without the sideways and backwards) ranked as the fewest in the league before the World Cup break. And if we don't have replacements lined up and knowing which of our current squad just can't cut it, let a couple of our extremely promising young strikers have a go?

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bryanK added 19:03 - Jan 3 Love to see Jones succeed but the signs are not good. The decision making process by the club are worrying and signing so many young players was a massive gamble. Laurie Mac pushed many young players but he always balanced this with older experienced players even some that were considered past their sale by date. We all like to see young players come through but the current makeup of the playing staff gives supporters no confidence. I sincerely hope the January window works for us but like many I am not holding by breath. Again like many why bring in someone who ticks all the speadsheet boxes but lacks any experience in the top tier? Totally baffling. Cannot image the reaction if we lose to Forest

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JoeEgg added 21:22 - Jan 3 Be patient guys looking at tonights football latest scores we are not the only club deep in trouble. There are so many players rumoured to be on the way to Saints right now we still have time to pull clear of this mess if the best of them actually arrive. Our young strikers are not the answer this season but there are at last some very interesting names being called out - so lets not give up hope ust yet!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Peterx added 04:28 - Jan 4 Underwhelming for me, we need to pay a bit more and get someone who is a regular starter for their current club. If this player is the real deal they need to be starting currently.
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zonehead added 14:00 - Jan 4 When you’ve got one of the best crossers of the ball doesn’t it make sense to have a big man forJWP to aim at? What goes on in that black box!
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underweststand added 21:43 - Jan 4 Alternatively....bring Tella back home and save some money on an unknown foreigner. At this rate NT will help Burnley get promotion,whilst we still sit in the drop zone.
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