Krafth signs: Realistic last-minute transfers Southampton FC should try and secure | OneFootball

Southampton are currently battling it out near the top of the Championship and could look to bolster their squad, or replace potential departures, as we move into the final days of the January transfer window.

As ever in the second tier, it is a fierce fight towards the top of the table with clubs eager to reap the rewards of promotion to the Premier League.

A team performing well, like Southampton are, will always see their players attract the attentions of clubs around them and above them, as is the case here.

Interest in some of their players is well-reported, which could leave the Saints in a last-minute scramble to find replacements. With that in mind, here are three players who could realistically find their way to St Mary's Stadium...

1 Macaulay Langstaff

The Notts County striker is making waves in League Two, currently the league's top scorer and is already attracting interest from across the English leagues.

Interest in current forward Che Adams is never far away, with Sky Sports reporting at least three Premier League clubs interested in taking him on.

Adams' contract expires this summer, meaning this month represents the last chance for the club to obtain a transfer fee for the 27-year-old unless a new deal can be agreed.

That means the Saints could be tempted into letting him go towards the end of this window or face losing him for free in the summer, and Langstaff could represent the ideal replacement as a goal threat.

Although the 26-year-old is currently untested at this level, and the move would carry some risk, his late rise through the non-league ranks has drawn comparisons with Jamie Vardy, and he clearly knows where the goal is.

Notts County reportedly valued him at £1.5million, but a move to the top end of the Championship would surely provoke the player into doing all he can to push the move through, which may see a reduced price accepted.

It would be a tough one to pull off at short notice, but it is not beyond all possibility and, if he can recreate anything close to his current form in the Championship, he would be well worth a punt.

2 Ben Johnson

Interest in current right-back Kyle Walker-Peters has come in from across the Premier League, and one of the early first tier movers, before the window opened, were West Ham United.

According to talkSPORT, the club want to provide competition for Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri and see Walker-Peters' versatility as a key asset.

The Saints could use this interest to their advantage, with Walker-Peters under contract until summer 2025 and Johnson out of contract this summer, it's easy to see how a player swap deal could be on the cards with money on top for Walker-Peters.

Johnson has been offered a new deal at the London Stadium, but a deal is yet to be agreed with lack of playing time a key sticking point.

Although this might be viewed as a downgrade for the Saints, with Walker-Peters among the most valued players in the squad, a move away for the 26-year-old looks highly probable anyway, and this route would provide an essentially free, ready-made replacement along with money to reinvest elsewhere in the squad.

Johnson would also arrive with genuine top level experience, having 58 Premier League appearances to his name for the Hammers, and having just turned 24 this month, still has years ahead of him to develop.

3 Emil Krafth

Current centre-back loanee Mason Holgate has barely featured in Russell Martin's considerations since making the temporary switch from Everton this summer, limited to a handful of Championship appearances so far.

The 27-year-old has since been linked with a recall and a permanent move away from Everton during this window, which may mean some new defensive cover could be on the last-minute shopping list at St Mary's.

One centre-back that appears to be on the market is Newcastle United's Krafth, with Football Insider reporting that the club are open to accepting an offer for the defender.

He has fallen down the pecking order in recent years at St James' Park and is out of contract this summer, meaning a last-minute, cut-price deal could be on offer if the Saints feel they need a replacement to take Holgate's place.

Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are Martin's current favoured duo at the moment, but with Krafth's solid Premier League pedigree, he would surely provide good competition for the pair, keeping them sharp for the final run-in and potentially even working his way into the side. It would also provide Martin with a solid three centre-backs should he wish to opt for a different shape this season.

Another selling point is that Harwood-Bellis is only with the club on loan from Manchester City, so he will be returning in the summer and a replacement will need to be sought. If Krafth could come into the side, impress, and embed himself in the side, the Saints could have their Harwood-Bellis replacement ready to go for the new season.