The shock club Ross Stewart nearly joined after leaving Southampton
Southampton were crying out for more attacking firepower during their dismal 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Preston North End.
Leo Scienza would timidly go about his business all match, while Lewis Dobbin failed to even register a single effort at the North End net all afternoon.
Divin Mubama wasn't exactly given a lot of time to turn the game around, but he still missed a big opportunity when he was unleashed into the Deepdale showdown.
Thankfully, Cyle Larin will be returning after the break, which is news that was much-needed after the 1-0 defeat, but Saints fans - in an ideal reality - would love to have Ross Stewart still at the club, as he was a perfect second-in-command option last season.
Unfortunately, he would move on to Swansea City in the summer, after talks annoyingly broke down over a new St. Mary's deal, but he could have joined this shock other club, as per a new report, over spreading his wings to Wales.
The shock club Stewart nearly joined
Leicestershire Live has revealed that the Scottish striker very nearly dropped down to League One in the off-season to join Leicester City.
This potential move would've seen Stewart link up with his former St. Mary's manager, Russell Martin, with the 30-year-old playing nine times under Martin during an injury-plagued spell of his South Coast career.
Despite these injury difficulties, Stewart stated, when discussing his failed move to the King Power, that he "loved" working under Martin, which led to him speaking to the 40-year-old about a possible switch to the Midlands.
A move never got off the ground in the end, and the one-time Sunderland striker was right to hold off, as he managed to stay in the Championship with the Swans.
He has been rather hot-and-cold in Wales so far, with a well-taken finish against Blackburn Rovers, then being followed up by a wasteful performance against Portsmouth, and a devastating penalty miss last time out against Birmingham City.
Stewart would be scapegoated somewhat after that miss at St. Andrew's, as Chris Davies' Blues ran out 2-1 victors, after he weakly hit a penalty effort straight at Ryan Allsop.
He will be looking to bounce back and slot himself into his new set of supporters' good books after the international break, with Saints fans missing his presence around the place.
Saints are missing him
So many times last season, the Irvine-born menace would leap off the bench to rescue Tonda Eckert and Co.
He would score nine goals from only 11 Championship starts, with one of those strikes coming at Preston, no less, last campaign when the Saints cruised to a 3-1 success at Deepdale.
If only that were the final scoreline this time around, but Dobbin and Mubama failed to spark into life, like Stewart managed to do at a moment's notice so many times last season.
The reliable Scotsman no longer being around has left the promotion chasers short up top, as a new striker is likely purchased in January to try and gift Eckert another Stewart-like player who can impact games when the Saints are struggling.
Southampton supporters will wish Stewart well, as he goes about finding consistency under Vitor Matos.
It would be a horrible end to this situation, though, if the ageing striker does find his groove in Wales to lift Swansea to automatic promotion at the expense of his ex-employers.
