Tonda Eckert has sat down for a brand-new tell-all interview as Southampton's upcoming Championship campaign looms on the horizon.
The controversial German answered a wide range of questions, with the elephant in the room of Spygate mentioned throughout, with Eckert even stating that he has required police protection, due to the fallout of the Saints' spying antics.
He's not out of the woods when it comes to the heavily publicised espionage that took place, as a FA ban still hangs in the air, but he did also speak of his positivity for the season ahead, as he continues to conduct pre-season training.
Amazingly, during the interview, he also dropped a transfer bombshell involving Southampton's depleted forward line that changes everything...
The transfer bombshell Eckert has now revealed
It's clear that the Saints are now chasing after a new striker this summer, having just welcomed in Lewis Dobbin, who can play behind the main attacker, as a winger, or as a number ten.
The £9m signing will love bouncing off Cyle Larin next season, but besides from the Canadian leading the line, there isn't an overwhelming amount of strikers currently in the building, due to Ross Stewart failing to agree a new contract.
The likes of Will Lankshear have been tipped to make the move to St. Mary's to bolster the attacking positions, but in this in-depth interview, Eckert hasn't ruled out the possibility of Stewart returning, as he has failed to find a new club so far this summer as a free agent.
He broke this bombshell news during the interview by stating: "'m still in touch with Ross [Stewart]. It's possible [that he could return]. We definitely need a second striker. I think that is very clear.
“There will definitely be a second striker. Let's see who that will be.”
Having scored a red-hot 11 goals last season in all competitions, despite limited gametime, it would be a fantastic deal to bring Stewart back to the club, if a contract can be agreed this time around, after an extension fell to the wayside.
While it's obviously a great move when initially looking at it, as the Scotsman is a proven second tier goalscorer, it remains to be seen whether he'd be welcomed back by the Saints masses, as he left a bad taste in the mouth not agreeing an extended deal.
Will Southampton fans welcome back Stewart?
In an alternate reality, all the hoohah involving Stewart's new deal and whether it was going to be agreed would have been resolved a lot sooner.
Unfortunately, come the end of the season, the Irvine-born marksman failed to agree an extension, which was a sour end to his Southampton journey to say the least.
Fans would have felt let down that he decided to jump ship, after being so patient with the ex-Sunderland attacker through numerous injury setbacks.
The first season he was largely injury free and potent in front of goal, he deserted the club who stuck by him. For some, this would have felt like a major kick in the teeth.
Moreover, it will also feel a bit snide on Stewart's end that he's reconsidering a return, as it smells of the 30-year-old not having a lot of outside interest, and falling back on the club that he was happy enough to discard.
At the end of the day, though, if Eckert's words are true and he could be returning very soon, Stewart will want to give his all for the club, again.
If he arrives back to St. Mary's and immediately bangs the goals in, any hostility towards him will quickly be lifted.
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