Southampton set to miss out on biggest deadline day signing since Leo Scienza

Southampton supporters would have woken up this morning excited by the prospect of transfer deadline day as the Saints love a last-minute foray.

Indeed, Sadio Mane would join on deadline day in 2014 as a then unknown recruit from RB Salzburg, only to take the Premier League by storm with the Saints.

On that same deadline day, the South Coast giants also welcomed in Toby Alderweireld on loan from Atletico Madrid, as his one season at the club saw him become a firm fan favourite.

In more recent times, as well, the end of the chaotic window last year saw Tonda Eckert's men win Leo Scienza right at the death, in another Mane-style transfer, as he arrived as a mysterious entity from Germany, only to become one of the Championship's trickiest attackers.

Scienza's eye-catching move

Southampton would leave a lot of their transfer activity until late on in the window last summer, with Finn Azaz joining on the 29th of August, mere days before the drama of deadline day kicked in.

He remains key in attack under Eckert, with his ability to twist and turn defenders for fun bamboozling Millwall all night long during the Saints' recent 5-1 triumph.

Alongside Azaz, Scienza was borderline unplayable at points during this emphatic victory, as he assisted the ex-Middlesbrough midfielder with one of his own jaw-dropping slaloms forward, before confidently scoring a penalty - won by Azaz no less - to make it 3-1 at St. Mary's.

BBC Radio Five Live broadcaster Sam Ashoo would note that the Brazilian is a "special" player at the full-time whistle of the memorable Lions victory, with the decision to snap him up for around the £7.8m mark, right at the final hour, from Heidenheim, proving to be an inspired call.

Indeed, he now has a superb 20 goal contributions from 49 Saints appearances, with plenty more surely to come.

Unfortunately, a similarly golden deal secured at the very final hurdle this time around looks to be off the cards...

Southampton set to miss out on another superb deadline day deal

The excitement of deadline day has died down somewhat after this social media post from Daily Echo journalist Alfie House.

He has come out to state that Zach Abbott looks as if he will be the only incoming of the day, as the Nottingham Forest defender finalises a loan to buy switch.

At least the hopes of a last minute deal have been dashed early in the day, but it will sting that Southampton aren't chasing after the services of Viking centre-back Henrik Falchener, to rival the drama of Scienza's last-gasp move from Heidenheim.

It would have been a sensational last-minute capture, with reports on social media on Monday night indicating that a deal could still be worked out, after the Norwegian side rejected an earlier bid from Eckert and Co.

Unless House is proved wrong, a deal for Falchener to join no longer has legs.

He could well have entered the first team picture and immediately settled in like Scienza to the dismay of the St. Mary's faithful, who would have loved the drama of another sensational deal being secured in the nick of time.

After all, he has shown he can compete at the very pinnacle of European football with Viking, having just helped to secure the Scandinavian side's spot in the forthcoming Champions League.

If he can compete in these challenging waters, he would have surely thrived in the demanding Championship.

With six goals scored last season, too, in Eliteseren action, he might have been a perfect successor to the departing Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

We just will never know if he would've sent shockwaves through the first team ranks like Scienza, as the South Coast side pray that Abbott can do the job on loan, over forking out the big bucks at the eleventh hour.

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