Everton manager Ronald Koeman returns to face former club Southampton on Sunday and the Blues boss has revealed that he would not hesitate to raid his old club if he felt any of their players could strengthen his squad.
If Koeman was to raid his former club, which Southampton players would be good signings for the Blues?
Fraser Forster
If speculation is to be believed, Koeman is keen to be reunited with goalkeeper Fraser Forster at Goodison Park and the 28-year-old would certainly be a welcome addition for the Blues.
Maarten Stekelenburg - who served as Forster's back-up at Southampton last season - has been Everton's first-choice goalkeeper since moving to Goodison Park in the summer. However, with Joel Robles seemingly having little future at the club and Stekelenburg not looking like a long-term number one for the Blues, Forster would certainly be an excellent addition.
Forster has established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in the Premier League during his time at Southampton, which has seen him cement his place in the England squad. In the 2014/15 season - his first season in the top-flight - Forster recorded the joint-most Premier League clean sheets along with Joe Hart and Simon Mignolet.
Last season, he passed Paul Jones' top-flight record for the longest run of time a Southampton goalkeeper has gone without conceding a goal. Forster reached 708 minutes - or just shy of 12 hours - before being beaten by Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas.
Virgil van Dijk
Despite the signing of Swansea City captain Ashley Williams in the summer, Everton have struggled defensively at times this season, with the Blues managing just three clean sheets. And, although Virgil van Dijk would arguably be the most difficult to prize away from the Saints considering his ability, he would be a perfect fit to strengthen the Blues defence.
Van Dijk has been one of the outstanding defenders in the Premier League since joining from Celtic at the start of last season and it's a position which Everton need strengthening as Phil Jagielka's influences wanes, while Ramiro Funes Mori is inconsistent.
The 25-year-old has formed an imperious partnership with Jose Fonte at Southampton, something that would no doubt be repeated at Everton with Ashley Williams. However, the Blues would have to use their increased spending power to pay big money if needed, but Van Dijk would be an excellent acquisition for the Toffees.
Charlie Austin
Forster and Van Dijk would be two excellent signings for the Blues and if VAVEL was to do a combined XI of Everton and Southampton players, the duo would definitely be one of the first names on the team sheet. Romelu Lukaku would be another name that would be one of the first and the player most likely to partner the Belgian up front would be Charlie Austin.
When Austin was signed by Koeman for Southampton in January for £4milion, many Everton fans would have liked their club to have signed the striker as back-up or a partner for Lukaku. Austin's form this season will no doubt further fuel the argument for why the Blues should have looked to have signed the former Burnley man.
Austin has been in superb form under Claude Puel, scoring eight times in all competitions so far, while Everton have had to rely on Lukaku as their main source of goals, with little support or back-up from on-loan Enner Valencia and Arouna Kone. Although Austin would be behind Lukaku in the pecking order, he is definitely better than the options the Blues currently have on the bench.