Reports are emerging in the press that Michael Obafemi is on the radar of several clubs, will Saints look to cash in on an undoubted talent, but who has still not quite shown he has the dedication and consistency.
There can be no doubt that Michael Obafemi has a lot of talent, but there is a suggestion that his ability is based mainly on pace and not enough on other skills needed to truly make it at the top.
Obafemi is a very reactive player, get him running at a side with the ball or put a ball into a channel for him to chase and he will be dangerous, but he is not pro active, unlike Danny Ings Shane Long or Che Adams, he is annonymous off the ball, he doesn't make the runs that create space for others, perhaps that will come with experience, but my feeling that this is something that you either have the natural instinct for or you don't.
Obafemi made his debut back in January 2018 as an 82nd minute sub against Spurs in a 1-1 draw at St Mary's, but it was two years ago in the Autumn of 2018 he truly burst on the scene with a number of appearances culminating with his first goal against Huddersfield away just before Xmas.
But then something went wrong, he would make only one more appearance that season, the club said it was an injury, but the whisper was that it was more about his off field lifestyle that was holding him back and preventing him training hard and putting in the dedication needed to make it as a player at Premier League level.
This season he seems to have got his act together fitness wise, but he has failed to find consistency, too often his pace will flatter, but there is no end product.
That is not to say he is not a talent, he clearly has the ability to succeed, he has a knack for scoring a goal and his pace can frighten defenders, but it is that lack of consistency that is a concern, too often he disappears in a game if we are under the cosh, his work rate off the ball and indeed his understanding of what he needs to do when we are not in possession seems to be lacking.
But he is still only 20 and can learn, although as I said I question whether he can.
So the news that Aston Villa are about to launch a £10 million bid for the player is interesting, Saints have to have a long hard think about whether they see him being able to step up a gear, he has had a promising 2 1/2 years since his debut, but he hasn't quite moved up a step from where he was 2 years ago.
What we don't know is whether the club feel that he has changed his attitude sufficiently to be able to become a truly Premier League quality player, the Championship is littered with former promising youngsters at Premier League level.
West Brom are also said to be looking at Obafemi and the fact that these stories are in the press seems to suggest that someone somewhere is looking to make something happen, whether that is Villa who genuinely see him as a target, whether it is his agent who wants to to move him on or whether it is Saints themselves is unclear.
Personally I think we should hang on to him for at least another year, this will be a crucial season for him, one that he now needs to either make himself more than just an impact player coming off the bench, but a genuine starter who makes things happen.
Saints will now have to weigh up whether they think he has what it takes to do that or to cash in now perhaps with a sell on clause.