Southampton: Saints linked with goalkeeper Keiren Westwood

Southampton have today found themselves linked with experienced Sheffield Wednesday goalie Keiren Westwood.

Even though the Saints currently boast five goalkeepers on their books, earlier today the Daily Mail have linked the club with Irish international Keiren Westwood.

The 33-year-old fueled speculation regarding his future after contradicting his manager who claimed that the goalie missed a pre-season game through injury – Westwood claimed that he was actually 100% fit.

Southampton are still apparently keen on sending Fraser Forster out on loan for the upcoming campaign and having already released Stuart Taylor, it makes sense for Mark Hughes’ side to explore options for a third-choice goalkeeper.

If the Saints are legitimately interested in the Irishman, it begs the question as to whether Jack Rose and Harry Lewis have future’s with the senior side, especially after the club spent £13.5 million on Manchester City’s Angus Gunn.

If the Saints are keen on Westwood, they will reportedly be rivaled by relegated side Stoke City, who are preparing for life after Jack Butland with many suspecting that the English goalie will join a Premier League side this summer.

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If that’s the case, then it’ll come down to whether the 33-year-old would prefer first-team football or another shot in the top flight – Westwood previously spent three years with Sunderland, making just 24 appearances collectively.

Since leaving the Black Cats he has established himself as one of the second tier’s best goalkeepers, having made just shy of 150 appearances for Wednesday since his move there in 2014.

With Guido Carrillo and Sofiane Boufal both having left without replacement, Southampton supporters would almost certainly prefer their side to focus on bringing in a new striker and a back-up wide man, as opposed to signing another goalie.

However with McCarthy only 28 and Gunn six years his junior, the experience that Westwood could bring to the Saints’ goalkeeping ranks could do great things for both of the former two’s development.

Furthermore his contract with Wednesday expires in just 11 months time, meaning Southampton would almost certainly be able to secure a cut-price deal for his services – we could even be talking about as low as six-figures.

Nonetheless, the legitimacy of the rumour remains to be seen, we can only hope if Southampton are pursuing goalkeepers, they have got stuff in the pipeline for further up the pitch too.