The shock striker Southampton were chasing during the final hours of the window

Well, that's it until January.

Indeed, the summer transfer window drags out over several months and then just suddenly shuts, with Southampton picking up the likes of Cyle Larin, Daniel Peretz, and James Ward-Prowse, and losing both Shea Charles and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to name just some notable deals.

Tonda Eckert's men were quiet on the final day of the action-packed window, despite all these eye-catching movements taking place elsewhere across the window, with Zach Abbott the only last-minute addition on loan from Nottingham Forest.

In an alternate reality, however, they might've splashed the cash to land this shock striker target, who already calls the Championship home...

The shock deadline day target that passed the Saints by

Mid-way through the 1-1 draw versus Birmimgham City on Tuesday night, news would break of a late audacious bid from Eckert and Co.

Sky Sports News' Natasha Everitt would state, on social media, that Charlton Athletic had knocked back a last-ditch bid from the Saints for young striker Micah Mbick, totalling around the £7m region.

In the end, it was too little too late for Southampton to win the promising 19-year-old, but this could well be a move that is revisited down the line.

Mbick has previously been on the radar of the Saints' near neighbours Brighton and Hove Albion, as well, with a £3.5m bid turned down by the Addicks from the Seagulls earlier this year.

The German would have loved to have Mbick at his disposal at St. Andrew's, with both the aforementioned Larin and Divin Mubama failing to strike fear into the Birmingham defenders with wasteful displays.

But, at just 19 years of age, and lacking Championship experience, would he have immediately been a good signing?

Would he have been a good signing?

It's all hypothetical really as a move at the eleventh hour never came to fruition, but he has impressed away from Charlton recently.

Indeed, out on loan at Colchester United last season in League Two, Mbick would bag a standout nine goals from 25 games, including this cheeky finish against Grimsby Town which was looped over the hapless goalkeeper's head with ease.

Unfortunately, his breakout loan stint with the U's would be derailed through injury, but that wouldn't stop Danny Cowley from waxing lyrical about the teenager, noting that he was "the best (number) nine we've ever worked with. He's incredible, so talented."

Back at the Valley, he has also been praised, with his ex-Addicks boss Michael Appleton noting that Mbick possessed a "maturity about him that's beyond his years" when first penning a senior Charlton contract.

With Southampton's bench looking so threadbare last night, especially in attack, with youngster Princewill Ehibhatiomhan surprisingly named among Eckert's options, Mbick could well have handed the German more depth and gifted him an exciting alternative to both Mubama and Larin misfiring.

For the time being, Eckert will make do with both the potent Canadian, and the Manchester City loanee, with Larin five goals from five games this season, before dropping the ball at St. Andrew's.

Additionally, Mubama is off the mark for the Saints, too, despite limited appearances, so he should be a competent back-up momentarily.

It wouldn't be a shock if Southampton returned to this deal when Mubama retreats back to the Etihad, however, as Larin isn't a spring chicken, and the centre-forward options aren't plenitful away from the Brampton Bagsman.

Right now, Mbick will purely be focused on gaining more first team action at Charlton under ex-Saints boss Nathan Jones no less, but this might not be the last we've heard of a £7m move.

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