Saints have been linked with a move for Takumi Minanino this summer, which came as a surprise given Ralph Hasenhuttl's somewhat economical use of the player, but the latest whispers out of Anfield seem to suggest that any potential deal will now be ruled out.
The news that Saints were interested in bringing Takumi Minamino back to St Mary's for next season came as a surprise to many Southampton supporters, there can be no doubt that the Japanese International had a touch of class about him as was evidenced by the goal on his debut followed by a run and finish in the home game against Chelsea.
But out of a potential 16 Premier League games he could have started he did so in just 9 plus just one outing as sub. After appearing in the game against Brighton on 14th March he would not feature again on the pitch until 30thh April , although he was an unused sub in all of the Premier League games played in that time.
That suggested that Ralph didn't quite fancy him as a player and most expected him to return to Liverpool with his Saints career ended for good.
But rumours surfaced that Saints had been talking to the Anfield club and were interested in bringing him back to St Mary's for the 2021/22 season, this surprised most.
But now it seems that those plans could be scuppered, with Minamino on £75 k a week, in these cash strapped times it looked beyond Saints finances to be able to afford a transfer fee as well as tempt Minamino away by even just matching his salary.
Our best hopes looked to be in signing him on another loan spell, but the latest news from Merseyside is that Liverpool see him as part of their plans and they are not interested in loaning him out, however they might be prepared to sell him if they get an exceptional offer.
There is no shortage of interest in Minamino if the rumour mill is to be believed , although how much substance in that is unsure, Liverpool's current stance may not be the one they still hold as the transfer window deadline approaches.
They will look to get the best deal for them, they do not see that as being a loan, so they will of course take the hard line now, but with Minamino struggling for game time with them last season even with a squad ravaged by injuries, they will perhaps have to consider loaning him again if there are no concrete offers on the table for a permanent move, but even if there are, with 3 years left on a lucrative wage he is unlikely to get elsewhere, Minamino himself might not be prepared to move somewhere permanently.
So it could be that Liverpool's hand will be forced in August, the rumours will abound as agents and perhaps even Liverpool's spin doctors try to make a move happen, but the reality is that like most transfers, it will probably be the final days of the transfer window before it is settled.