Saints are bracing themselves for Victor Wanyama to be unsettled and prised away from St Mary's in the coming weeks.

Last summer Saints were understandably miffed about the way that Tottenham Hotspur tried to prise Victor Wanyama away from St Mary's in the final week or so of the transfer window, especially after it came so soon after Toby Alderweireld was stolen from their grasp when the club thought they had a watertight deal.

Now with the season over the next week or so will be crucial with a new contract still on the table for the Kenyan midfielder but no signature on it as of yet.

Whilst it is not certain that Wanyama will want to move, in recent months he has appeared happy at Saints and the prospect of a Europa League campaign is also a bargaining tool for Saints, it is unclear whether Spurs or Arsenal will make their move and if so how they will make it.

Saints would obviously prefer Wanyama to sign and stay, but if he doesn't then they would prefer any deal to happen sooner than later so they know just where they stand with regard to squad rebuilding and what money they have.

Last summer Spurs preferred to unsettle the player and try to force a cut price transfer and Saints want to avoid that again, whereas Arsenal in their dealings with Saints have been hard but fair and have done things the right way.

With every day that the Kenyan midfielder does not sign on the dotted line Saints are bracing themselves for the first rumblings to start and indeed press speculation has already started.

This year though Saints are ready for it and will feel that they already have a strong central midfield with or without Wanyama, after all they had to play large chunks of it without him due to suspensions and sulking.

They just want closure to the uncertainty of the situation so they can plan for next season without the shennigans of last August.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 14:41 - May 19 He's a grown man for goodness sake. Just like Toby, Clyne, little Adam etc etc he will make his own decision. I suspect he decided a long time ago that he would be off this summer so off he will go without any need for 'unsettling'.
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SonicBoom added 14:53 - May 19 Agreed. He'll go or not regardless of the press. Also we have had a year to plan for this so I expect we have several replacements lined up. Hopefully there will be more than one club after him. If not then Spurs for example can only benefit from not making an early move.
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SaintNick added 15:37 - May 19 Im not sure that footballers are grown men ! from their antics many of them are shallow individuals who care little or nothing for anything or anyone other than themselves, I would say that reading a bit of flattery in the press definitely gives them delusions of grandeur
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saintandy11 added 16:18 - May 19 I think a lot will depend on what happens with Kante at Leicester. I can see him being the midfielder most will go after with Vic being in their back-up plans. I have a horrible feeling that this will drag on until the end of August before we know whats happening.
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SaintPaulVW added 16:20 - May 19 It i their job though and it's a very short career. Wouldnt you try to maximise your income in a job that could be over in one mistimed tackle or a loss of form? I just hope it gets sorted sooner rather than later. He's a great player on his day but those days do come and go. Deep down I think he's off and just hope more than one come in for him or it will be like Clyne and not too high a fee for a proven Premiership player.

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darkangelv2 added 16:30 - May 19 This guy has gone in my opinion - he's a nailed on transfer. He's got 1(?) year left on his contract I think so we're at that critical point on the value curve. The same for Mane I believe. He's got 2(?) years to go, his stock is pretty high. I reckon he'll go. Replacements will be excellent as always. I have confidence!
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codge added 19:29 - May 19 Yes it can be a short career but the money they get in a short length of time is more than most people make In a lifetime.
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schatfield added 07:57 - May 20 Wanyama is gone, for sure. I echo the thoughts above, his head was turned long ago. Unsure about Mane, I think the club will dig their heels in especially to prove to Koeman that we want to go places. Once Koeman has signed a new deal, then Mane will go!
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BoondockSaint added 13:27 - May 20 The teams that need him are traditional weak down the middle: Arsenal, ManCity, and Spurs. However, that's their problem every year, and they never address it, so maybe he stays. If he goes, we will be weak in that area, no one will be afraid to come down the middle. Really we need two players like that, so whether he stays or goes, if one gets suspended, we have a replacement. When he was out this year, teams knew they weren't going to get muscled off the ball and took advantage.

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