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.