Everton are being linked with a move for Saints defender Cuco Martina to replace broken leg victim Seamus Coleman.
Saints fans will be surprised and Everton supporters perhaps horrified to hear that Ronald Koeman is rumoured to be planning on signing Coco Martina in the summer.
Although Martina will be available on a free transfer the surprise is not that Koeman is in for the defender, after all he tried to sign him back in August before the injury to Jeremy Pied meant that Saints needed Martina as cover, but that with all the money that Koeman allegedly has at his disposal that he is looking to Martina ahead of spending or even bringing in a product of Everton's academy.
Martina was preferred to Cedric Soares by Koeman in the final third of last season, which was surprising and although he had plenty of energy and running he did not have the footballing quality of Soares and it was clearly a case of a problem between the Portuguese full back and manager.
This season Soares has been first choice and Martina has been restricted in his game time, under Puel Martina has fallen out of favour and hasn't appeared in the Premier League since the final day of 2016, Jack Stephens being preferred as cover initially.
Now Martina is being linked with a move away and although he is Ok at times, he is a strange signing for Everton and if I was a fan of the Toffee's I would be slightly baffled.
From Saints point of view he is unlikely to feature for the club again with Jeremy Pied now returned from long term injury.
Martina was a stop gap when Koeman arrived at St Mary's but he was always intended as cover for Coyne and his game time has reflected that, yes he will be a cheap option for Everton in the same role and he has not been without his moments, but overall he has plenty of running but little footballing nouns or positional defence, he is not what the Everton faithful will demand.