Southampton fans are beginning to imagine that Adam Armstrong's summer gig might not be a promotion chasing one.
With the Championship season kicking off in roughly a month and a half, it's wise to analyse the second-division pedigree present in every current Saints star. Now, the Transfermarkt stats suggest a fine margin of experience between the top two players but the Southampton fans will have guessed it right without needing hints.
As expected, it's Adam Armstrong who needs just over one full season to even surpass the 300 appearances mark. Now, that should be an easy goal even though Southampton have internally opted to put him up for sale.
And for a seasoned forward who has lined up for six different outfits in the Championship with a couple of promotion successes under his belt, there could hardly be any fallen Premier League giants out there who would say no to him.
But does the regular promotion jumps still motivate him has been put under question.
Reflecting upon Armstrong's swift Championship exit six months after tasting the playoffs win, the Football League World quoted fan pundit Martin Sanders saying: "Was he really going to have the hunger to go and do it and come back and do it again? I'm not convinced that he necessarily would do to be quite honest."
Armstrong can be a brilliant addition for Preston
Plus, even if Armstrong wished to indulge in any sort of a promotion milestone, then his best option may lie at Norwich City. If not there, then Armstrong would be wise to drop the short-term promotion objectives in favour of a long-term rebuild at a mid-table second tier side.
A great example could be Preston North End where the 28-year-old will have the chance to complete a full Championship circle with boss Paul Heckingbottom. Armstrong's first decent campaign at this level came in Heckingbottom's guidance.
So, assisting his youth coach in taking Preston to the Premier League will sound like a more consistent and fresh task for the Saints targetman. Let's wait patiently to see what Armstrong does.