Saints are being reported as being interested in signing Stoke City's Jack Butland, but are believed to be interested in a swap deal involving one of the 3 keeper's currently on the St Mary's roster.
Butland is valued at around £8-10 million and although his stock is not as high as it was a couple of years ago prior to Stoke's relegation, at 27 he is approaching his peak as a keeper and he needs to get back into the Premier League if he is to recapture his former glory.
Saints are said to be looking to do a swap deal, but which of their current keeper's would they want to see go, none of the three have been totally convincing of late, so it seems Stoke could take their choice.
The Times reckon that it could be Angus Gunn who Saints would look to trade in a straight swap for Butland, although that would mean Saints losing around £4 million on the fee that they paid Manchester City two years ago, of the three Gunn is perhaps the most likely long term option going forward for Saints.
But Fraser Forster is perhaps the man they would most like to get off the books or at least his wages, if a deal could be done involving Forster whose stock has risen after his season at Celtic, then this might tempt Saints more.
The third option is to make Alex McCarthy part of the deal, he played the second half of the season and although at times he was up to the job, too often he would make an error and that hasn't gone unnoticed by Saints who do not seem to see him as a long term solution and at 30 he is not going to get any better. There is also the little matter that he would be valued at less than Butland so that would mean Saints finding some cash on top to facilitate the transfer.
Jack Butland would be a good move for Saints and one of the three current keepers forming part of the deal would mean Saints would not have to pay out big money for a player who is established Premier League level and has the desire to get back there.