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Will Saints Get Joe Hart ?

There is a lot of media speculation that Saints are going to launch a summer bid for England goalkeeper Joe Hart, but how much truth is in that rumour and how likely is it to happen ?

Contrary to the opinions of a section of the Saints support Fraser Forster is a very well rated goalkeeper by some of the top Premier League clubs and this has led the press to start speculation that Saints might be looking to offload Forster and bring in Joe Hart as his replacement.

The reality is that if Forster was to leave it would be for a top six side or perhaps Everton, given that Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea & Spurs would feel that they already have better keepers in place than Forster, that would leave only Liverpool. Manchester City and Everton as in the frame to buy the Saints keeper.

The likelihood is that Hart has no future at City, so that leaves only a move to Merseyside as a viable possible option for Forster if he was to leave St Mary's.

If we take Liverpool first, they definitely need a new keeper despite what Klopp may say, Mignolet is a weak link and they need to shore it up, however would they choose Forster above Hart ?

I would say the answer is no, Hart is still rated above Forster in the England pecking order and a move to Liverpool would almost certainly appeal to him ahead of a move to St Mary's, so the chances of Saints signing Hart rest on whether Liverpool make a move for him.

Everton could well launch a bid of their own for Hart, although given the Koeman connections it is far more likely they will go for Forster as it would be easier to persuade him to join the Toffee's, they have the money and assuming that our former manager hasn't jumped ship for a second summer running I expect them to come a calling.

So the more likely scenario is that Liverpool land Hart and we face Everton trying to unsettle Forster.

The big question though is whether Saints want to let him go, certainly there are those very vocal on social media who would be delighted to see him go, the same people who this time last year were hounding Sadio Mane out before he was sold for £35 million.

Saints might not feel the same way, but if they did they would have to decide whether they go for a proven Premier League keeper or whether Alex McCarthy who is highly rated or even Mouez Hassen would be up to the job.

So it looks like being one big transfer merry go round in the summer, that is if Saints decide they want to get on it.

Unlike previous summers Saints are now in control of their own transfer destiny they have all the squad tied up with long term contracts and are under no pressure to sell, unlike previous years when they have had players entering the last two years of their deal and indicating they would not sign another.

This meant that Saints were not in the driving seat, they had to sell or see the players value plummet in the last year of their contract.

Now though it is different, Saints can start to plan going forward, they know that the system means that we have to sell players, the reality is that we cannot compete with the top six on income received, so we have to do it on our terms, but now we are in control.

Most transfer rumours at this time though are agents trying to stir things up and the media trying to generate headlines where they have none.

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