With cash likely to be limited at all football clubs this summer, Saints are said to be looking for swap deals as they look to get some of those out on loan off the books, already they are being linked with two possibilities.

Saints are willing to let Fraser Forster go to Celtic the stumbling block though is cash, the Scottish club do not have the funds to pay either Forster's transfer value or his wages and the corona virus effects have not helped.

So the talk in Glasgow is that the two clubs are looking at a swap deal with French midfielder Olivier Ntcham coming South.

Saints are said to have been tracking the 24 year old Ntcham since the start of the year and he would make a good replacement for Pierre Emile Hojbjerg should the Dane move to Spurs or even Everton.

Ntcham fits the profile that Saints look for in a player, after leaving Le Havre in France he joined Manchester City but spent two years with Genoa on loan and left for Celtic in 2017 without playing for City's first team.

At Celtic he has played plenty of games, but he feels that the Scottish Premier League is not a strong enough level and is holding back his promotion from the French U21 squad up to the full national side and that to do that he needs to test himself at a higher level.

That is music to the ears to Saints who look for players with potntial but just as importantly drive and ambition.

This means that a swap deal could suit both parties Ntcham would perhaps be valued at slightly less than the £11 million or so Saints would want for Forster, but bridging that gap would not be a major problem.

But Olivier Ntcham is not the only swap deal that could be on the table, Tottenham Hotspur are said to be feeling the Corona Virus pinch and might themselves be unable to buy Pierre Emile Hojbjerg using purely cash.

They are said to be looking at who they could offer in part exchange for the Saints midfielder, Kyle Walker - Peters is the obvious option, but it is far from clear whether Ralph Hasenhuttl wants to sign the player, Walker-Peters made only one appearance before the suspension of football, although Spurs sources say that is because he arrived at St Mary's with a hamstring injury and that prevented him from playing more.

So it is unclear whether Saints would be interested in Walker - Peters, if they aren't then Spurs are said to be looking at other options in their squad to offer in exchange for Hojberg.

Photo: Action Images

highfield49 added 10:29 - May 26 Looking at Ntcham's profile I agree with you Nick, we have little to lose and a lot to gain. If he is as versatile as represented, able to play a central, attacking or defensive midfield role then absolutely he should be part of a deal for Forster. Hopefully one down and only five or six to go then!
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saintmark1976 added 12:14 - May 26 Pierre Emile Hojberg to be swapped for Kyle Walker Peters ? Words fail me.
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arthurfane added 12:30 - May 26 Saintmark - I don't think Nick/the press are suggesting it would be a straight swap, it would be KWP plus (less) cash . . . For what it's worth, I think there are better options than Walker-Peters out there. Yes, we've not seen a lot of him, but think Spurs have overpriced him and someone like Maehle might be a better choice. Ntcham looks a real player and agree he would be a good replacement for PEH (although I still hope he'll stay). Dreamland would be if he's a Romeu replacement, giving us options of Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg and Ntcham at CM. If we have top-half ambitions or even a push for Europe again, that's the strength in depth we'd need. My only concern with Ntcham would be attitude - someone who's willing to speak out publicly about his concerns with the strength of Scottish football, and a desire to leave. That's exactly the sort of attitude that's bitten us badly in the past - perhaps we just have to deal with it if we want to attract top quality players?

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TimSaint added 16:23 - May 26 Don't Celtic have any up and coming Central Defenders we can swap for FF and/or Elyounoussi instead ? We are in much greater need of a Central Defender that can organise, command the back 4 and lead by example. Yes we would need to further strengthen our midfield should we lose someone like PEH, but wasn't the plan to promote the likes of Smallbone ?
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