With the train carrying Premier League safety already long left the station, Southampton are trying to trim their squad ready for next season in the Championship, however getting people to leave permanently is proving a difficult task.

Latest reports from France suggest that Kamaldeen Sulemana could be moving back there, that is according to getfootballfrance.com who claim that Racing Club Lens have contacted Saints with a view to taking Sulemana back to France, he arrived at St Mary's 2 years ago from Stade Rennais for a few a little over £20 million.

His value now has dropped to a little over £12 million, but Southampton will be lucky to get that, even though he still has 2 1/2 years left on his contract..

Saints are said to be willing to take an offer in the region of £8-9 million in order to get him off the books, although under Ivan Juric he has played some of his best football for the club and the manager has made noises about keeping him.

Lens themselves do not seem to want to purchase him outright, at least not in this window and the reports say that they are looking for a loan deal to the end of the season that will see them pay part of the transfer fee now as a loan fee and then with an option to buy in July.

That is said to have been rejected outright by Southampton who are saying that Sulemana will only leave on a permanent deal and then only if their minimum price is met.

If not then it seems he will stay at St Mary's and then the situation will be re assessed in the summer.

This is a dilemma for the Southampton board, on one hand they have seen Sulemana spent most of the last two years either injured, in poor form or not in the squad at all, even given his renaissance under Juric, the games Sulemana has looked good in, taking into account the 80 or League games that have been played since his arrival, can be counted on one hand.

In one camp there will be those that will look at this and say, lets get what we can now, his value is plummeting and others will say that it could actually rise again, if he plays as he has done in the past month.

So that is probably why Saints would prefer to either get a price now or keep him, Sport Republic are under enough pressure as it is, if they sent him out on loan, saw his good form continue in France and his value rise, then see him leave for a set fee way below his increasing value then even more criticism would go their way.

So this will set the cat amongst the pigeons,, what does everyone think on this, leave your comments in the section below and vote Here in our online poll

All Photos Via Reuters

underweststand added 13:53 - Jan 29 On those rare occasions we have seen him play it 's easy to see that there is an exciting player - in there somewhere, but he had no real chance in the Martin system, and needs to be playing in an attacking side that can benefit from his talents. Whatever the outcome, we will lose a packet on the deal with the only saving grace being that if he has a good second half of the season (somewhere) and shows up well, we may be able to claw back some of the huge loss we are anticipating at present.

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IanRC added 15:39 - Jan 29 I really hope not and certainly not at that price. If he goes now it will destroy what last remaining faith I have in our incompetent owner and his management. Surely given his recent form we would be better holding onto him at least until the summer.
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JoeEgg added 16:10 - Jan 29 Yes give Sulemana away closely followed by Paul Onuacho - send Ballard out on loan and then Armstrong can back in the team! There's no other way. I thought we were looking to buy forwards not give what little we have left awayBut this Southampton FC - give folk something else to mock the Club for.
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bryanK added 18:08 - Jan 29 Why can’t Saints just transfer list the players they and us want shot of. I know in this modern age agents and players control so much but having lost so much money on poor signings surely the Saints Board would win some sort of credibility if they showed some balls in listing players who have shown they have not got the ability to play in the premiership and tell clubs certain players are not for sale. On a completely different matter the salary quoted in a recent article if true for Kyle Walker Peters is appalling and how our best performing player by a country mile has stayed with us is a credit to him. Shame on you Southampton seeing the likes of Bederak on over 3 million per annum iis disgraceful.

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Bowlercow added 18:33 - Jan 29 Who makes up the figures that get banded about? The problem for Sulemane is the fact that he doesn't fit into any modern system He is a flare player who can get me on the edge of my seat Let's keep him for now if he commits to playing in the Championship
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