Southampton needs to brainstorm upon the pros and cons of the Kaine Kesler-Hayden move in the wake of a soon-to-be bidding war.
Football fans including the Saints fanbase can agree that bidding races take the transfer window thrill to the next level. But those negotiation battles are fun and games for only those who don't have to suffer from the gruelling part of convincing the players and the seller clubs.
And as you may have expected, Southampton are also lying in that lengthy queue which they had hoped their players would attract. Nonetheless, that's the opportunity cost of investing in the finest talent pools that also includes promising FA Cup quarter-finalist Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
First things first, the 22-year-old wingback isn't a new name in the Southampton rumour mill.
Max Johnston is also there, though his comments suggested he may not be enthusiastic to take the long trip to St. Mary's. In that area, Kesler-Hayden might not have strict reservations but he enjoys the luxury of offers coming to him that can test Southampton's patience.
Saints must line up budget friendly Kesler-Hayden alternatives
Clarifying this situation, the EFL Analysis quoted Graeme Bailey saying: "We know Southampton and Middlesbrough are losing full-backs so that makes sense. But there are about three or four teams in the Championship who like him."
At this point, the Saints transfer chiefs should take a step back and reflect on the pros and cons of recruiting the Englishman. And while doing so, it's also necessary to estimate whether they can bring up a few like-for-like target profiles on their shortlist with nearly the same skill set and Championship experience as Kesler-Hayden.
If they can scout a couple of such wonderkids then the Kesler-Hayden signing won't remain a priority one for Southampton. The reason being that often most teams don't evaluate the remaining transfer options on their table and end up overpaying just for the sake of winning the transfer race.
On top of that, hefty buys rarely translate well on-field which is why Southampton must refrain from panicking upon the Aston Villa loanee so soon.