Borussia Dortmund ready to sell £10m target Southampton tried to sign on deadline day
Transfer deadline day didn't see Southampton do a lot of last-minute business.
Zach Abbott would join the building in the most notable deal, but the loanee from Nottingham Forest is yet to feature for the Saints since joining, in a rather underwhelming last-ditch signing.
Keven Schlotterbeck would also leave Augsburg behind for St Mary's during the final few days of the hectic transfer window, with the Saints needing some reinforcements at the back, owing to Taylor Harwood-Bellis leaving Tonda Eckert and Co. behind for new Premier League pastures at Aston Villa.
There was another defender that the South Coast giants had on their shopping list who didn't join the ranks who could be on the move when the January window swings open, when looking into some new reports.
The £10m defender who could be on the move
Luca Reggiani slipped out of Southampton's grasp on deadline day.
Indeed, reports during the dramatic latter stages of the window suggested that Eckert's side made a late approach for the Italian defender's services, who has a price-tag around the £10m mark hanging above his head, but the move wouldn't get over the line.
Now, German outlet BILD are speculating that the Borussia Dortmund centre-back could finally leave the Black and Yellow behind mid-season, with the Modena-born teenager failing to break into Niko Kovac's first team picture so far this campaign.
He has only been handed one Bundesliga appearance, with BILD stating that he is seriously considering a move away from the German titans, which will surely reawaken Southampton's well-known interest.
The Saints aren't alone as far-off admirers, however, with AC Milan and Inter Milan noted as other interested parties from Reggiani's homeland.
It will be very intriguing to see where Reggiani next ends up, as Southampton potentially tries to tempt the 18-year-old to the South Coast, like they did in the summer.
Will Southampton go back in for his services?
The argument against the Saints going back in for Reggiani is that they are now well-stocked in the centre-back department.
Indeed, while Abbott hasn't featured yet, he is a competent back-up, having played in some intimdating environments for Forest from a very early age.
Moreover, Schlotterbeck has one of the two centre-back starting spots nailed down at St. Mary's currently, with Nathan Wood also looking rather at home in Eckert's starting XI at the moment.
Would there even be a space for Reggiani, who will be so desperate to start week in week out, if he finally moved to England?
Additionally, it was well documented that the Italian wasn't that keen on uprooting to English shores, when the deadline day rumours filtered through, with Reggiani surely more at ease with the idea of moving to Italy, if a mid-season move is agreed.
A move for the Dortmund number 49 shouldn't be written off completely, as the Saints are known for being a club that gives youngsters plenty of first-team chances.
On top of that, he is clearly very highly rated, as he was launched into the Champions League at just 18 years of age by Kovac, with a clean sheet even coming his way during his European debut against Atalanta back in February.
He won't be fazed by the bright lights of the Championship, therefore, and he would back himself to usurp the likes of Wood, who is prone to a wobble in the heart of the Saints backline.
It just feels slightly unrealistic that the Saints would cough up any major bucks for Reggiani, and a loan move would also feel a bit impractical, as Abbott - another young defender - already holds a loan spot.
This could well be a move that whirs back into motion if Southampton clinch promotion to the Premier League, with the drama of the January transfer window not too far away now, as we head back into Championship action in October.
