With tonight's 11pm transfer deadline looming and no one through the door yet, Saints may have to move for their fall back options with the crisis in the centre of defence at the moment.

Saints have been looking to sign a central defender throughout this transfer window, but their problem is the January portal is a sellers market and the sellers always hang on to the last minute to squeeze the last penny out of desperate clubs.

The rumour doing the rounds back in December was that Saints target was signed sealed and delivered pending the issue of a work permit, however more than a month later and the signing has not materialised, suggesting that the work permit was not granted.

Mamadou Sakho has also looked to be Saints main target, yet that deal has not moved, the stumbling blocks being firstly that Liverpool are looking to get back more than they paid for the French defender and then there is the question of the players wages, both are major stumbling blocks and Liverpool after falling out with Sakho are in no hurry to end his misery at the club cheaply.

Crystal Palace are also sniffing around and as their position worsens they may panc and throw money at trying to save their skin, but Saints seem to be the players favoured destination, if the deal can be done.

Saints are now turning to different options, the first could be Serdar Tasci who is at Spartak Moscow and in the final months of his contract, a loan move looks likely but even if they bring him in Saints are still likely to want a second central defensive signing.

The media are reporting that Saints are going head to head with Leicester for two targets and that whoever wins the race for one it will see the loser go to the other.

The main target seems to be Udinese central defender Molla Wague in a loan deal, the 25 year old is out of favour at the Italian club this season, however Leicester seem to be winning the race on this one with Campions League football on offer.

If Leicester land Molla Saints could go for the other target both clubs have been chasing, Anderlecht's Kara Mbodji, Leicester were rumoured to have had a 10.5 million euro bid turned down hence turning to Wague, but Saints could move in and tempt the Belgium club with a higher offer.

These are the options being reported as on Saints radar, but do the club have someone else in mind, someone who they are playing their cards close to their chest and the media are unaware of ?

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 10:31 - Jan 31 We need to bite the bullet and pay above the odds if no suitable loans are possible. Going into the final part of the season without a replacement for Fonte would be hugely risky.
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sidsaint added 11:04 - Jan 31 Agree with SanMarco. We need cover at centre back, stop the penny pinching and don't get shown up by other clubs who are more positive.
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Bettwsresident added 11:06 - Jan 31 I have a gut feeling that if we end up signing a defender for over 10m and bring in Gabbadini it's by by Jay Rod. I sincerely hope not. It all depends on VVD's injury. Assuming it is weeks not months, Maya and VVD look a good pairing with Stephens as a solid reserve. We have 2 EPL games, tonight and West Ham and then two weeks to prepare, get everyone fit for Wembley. Also If Targett ever comes back it opens up another option Bertrand sometimes played CB under Roko and looked good, which offers as a 4th option.

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ChannonFodder added 11:18 - Jan 31 "Leicester seem to be winning the race on this one with Champions League football on offer". He obviously hasn't looked at the league table; decent chance he'll play more football in the Championship than the Champions League.
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LordDZLucan added 12:11 - Jan 31 What are we doing scrambling around on transfer deadline day trying to land other clubs overpriced cast offs? The transfer mismanagement over the summer is now coming back to bite us. And why am I hearing that JayRod might be sold? 1 striker in and 1 striker out leaves us exactly where we were i.e. short on numbers.
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dixiefrog added 12:22 - Jan 31 Hold your nerve everybody, I'm still of the view that despite Saints not enjoying this interim transfer deadline and preferring to do their business in the summer. I think we'll still see one striker, one CB, one GK and no current strikers leaving, we've got until 11 tonight so strap yourself in, it may be a bumpy ride.
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highfield49 added 12:23 - Jan 31 And another report saying Saints are interested in signing defender Erik Sviatchenko from Celtic. At least VVD will have played alongside him before, I'm guessing, so maybe there is a glimmer of truth in the story?
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Lazz added 12:40 - Jan 31 Get somebody else
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SaintBrock added 13:51 - Jan 31 You just know that nothing is going to happen....
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SanMarco added 15:35 - Jan 31 You're worse than me SaintBrock - and, it's only half past three and we have already brought in a back-up for the reserve GK...
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the_saint added 18:49 - Jan 31 Why don't they go for ake from chelsea
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