Southampton can still play advantage on the Max Johnston transfer race if they want to, but they seem to have ignored the fullback despite an affordable price.
Long before the Mateus Fernandes move was creatively worked around, Southampton had planned to cough up a huge transfer budget on Eduard Spertsyan. Just shows, the Saints were going to take extra precautions to not become over reliant on the Portuguese, who hasn't been associated with inconsistency.
But these views take a backseat going to right-back, Yukinari Sugawara who has seen a range of ups and downs from getting sidelined due to poor health to an underlwhelming patch of games.
No safeguarding has been done to his position, where dozens of talented alternatives are going for paltry totals in the market. And Max Johnston finds himself in that same best budget buys category.
Despite stalling out Southampton's advances, the 21-year-old will now be absorbing the truth that a Championship layover maximizes the chances of living the Premier League dream long enough. Except that, this realisation came when the Saints fans have grown hopeless of seeing another fullback enter the building.
Johnston is still obtainable for Southampton if they acted
Sky Sports have brushed aside some clouds on his future, saying: "Sturm Graz have rejected a £1.4m bid from Derby County for right-back Max Johnston."
So, last season's bottom table finishers couldn't wrap up an agreement but it's tough to second that Southampton can't see off a handshake with doubling this proposal. They have the resources, Johnston has the precision in his crosses alongwith a physically imposing profile but the Scot's name is off the rumour grid.
There have no Rangers links to Johnston but imagine if they were on the lookout for wingbacks, don't you think Russell Martin will have handed him his debuts until now? Well, that's just how the former Southampton boss treats transfers like it should be, by checking the priorities first.