Norwich City are the latest club to be linked with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly according to the latest media reports.

According to the Press Saints are very close to signing Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly and have beaten off the challenge of Everton, however apparently its not quite as done and dusted as the media would have had you believe yesterday as Norwich City are about to launch a late challenge for the defenders services.

The big question though is whether Saints are as serious in their intentions as the media say or whether their alleged pursuit of Koulibaly is merely a tactic to try and hurry Celtic into selling long term target Virgil Van Dijk.

All will soon be revealed although it could be that Ronald Koeman is looking at bringing in both Koulibaly and Van Dijk which in itself has brought in rumours of Jose Fonte to Aston Villa.

Photo: Action Images

Olley added 07:32 - Aug 19 Again just paper talk and I hope Saints have a strategy / plan to get the best players in whoever that will be in the end, as we all know [subject to Caulker yet to prove himself], we need at least 1 top class hungry CB..
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sidsaint added 07:53 - Aug 19 Have no idea what our strategy is or what real position is. I would rather have 2 new CB's than fall between 2 stools!
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IWOZTHERE added 09:29 - Aug 19 The only thing that's certain is that we are not certain. As for me, I'm seeking therapy to stop me obsessively checking news sites every hour praying that we've signed one or the other. Smokescreen aside, Van Dijk may be a done deal but if that is not the case and we miss out, it does re-inforce the opinion that we should be less circumspect, get on and do these deals as early as possible. The Van Dijk scenario is a good example: With Everton also interested in the player, we've just been spanked 3-0! O.K, that was a 'one-off', but prior to that we would probably have been clear winners in chases for players, when competing with the likes of Everton, Stoke etc, all else being equal. Praps not so much now, so let's hope our makeshift defence holds up well on Thursday and also against Watford.

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mesquita added 09:33 - Aug 19 This is really strange and so un-Saints like. It has been clear that we needed a CB since Toby went to Spurs, Caulker is an excellent loanee, but a proper long term solution has been needed for some weeks. I cannot believe that the VVD talk has all been media speculation and I cannot believe that Saints have been doing nothing behind the scenes. Panic should not play a factor as we already have Fonte, Yoshida, Caulker and Gardos as well as youngsters coming through, surely, we only need one CB albeit a really outstanding one. Have we really waited weeks for VVD only to find him unavailable?

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BaselSaint added 11:24 - Aug 19 There is no way of knowing what Saints are doing because to make intentions, agreements and commitments public is business suicide. We have no real way of knowing what is really happening until it has happened. Anyway whatever transpires there is only a couple of weeks left and then we will know for sure!
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SaintBrock added 14:06 - Aug 19 I thought Koeman was supposed to be a big draw factor in persuading good players to come here? Instead of which and despite all the bluff and bluster from Ralph, Les and others nobody of an quality is coming in and nobody of any quality is hanging around. Last night I saw Luke Shaw and Morgan Schneiderlin lining up for Man U, on Monday I watched as Lallana, Clyne and Lovren lined up for Liverpool to shake hands with the Cherries. They were our players just a few months ago! So what has gone wrong Ralph, Les, Ronald? Why can't we keep our team together and attract even better stars? What's the point of a vision without a plan? Even the dimmest of our supporters must by now have realised that the emperor has no clothes.

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TissLeGod added 15:04 - Aug 19 I don't see like many why we don't go for Koulibaly as well getting in VVD as we are clearly in need of good long term reliable defenders and Norwich with respect can't compete with us. All these deals are I am sure not down to Saints dragging their heals as Celtic are also holding out until they get CL qualification next week. Its been said before this one could go to the wire, and Everton holding onto Stones I think will be key to all these. If he goes then there could be a domino effect of cash in the system - and VVD may well end up at Everton. But I hope the Koeman brothers' connection with VVD would be the clincher. Either way we need both if we wish to be taken seriously.

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