The January transfer window may be several months away but Southampton are already lining up potential targets as Spanish winger Alfonso Pedraza is being rumoured with a switch to the English south coast.
Aged 21, the attacker is enjoying a season-long loan spell at La Liga outfit Deportivo Alavés but his parent club, Villarreal could be tempted to recall the youngster if a permanent suitor present a strong interest in acquiring his services, which Southampton may very well do.
Pedraza has previously graced the English game having spent last term on loan at Championship club Leeds United - enjoying the latter six months of the 2016/17 campaign at Elland Road he accumulated 14 appearances for the Whites, bagging the measly one goal.
He may not be the calibre of player Saints supporters were expecting in the winter market, however, manager Mauricio Pellegrino could take full advantage of his Spanish ties having spent much of his playing and managerial career in the Mediterranean country.
What can Southampton look forward to from the winger?
Alfonso Pedraza has easily impressed in recent years throughout the Spanish ranks at youth level after helping guide his nation to the European Championships Under-19 triumph, before being called up to the Under-21 squad last month.
Originally from a city of just 836 people, although Pedraza has grown up to be taught the Spanish flair method of football and that is certainly a major contribution he can bring to this Southampton team - depending on the Saints' table position come January.
The only downside to a possible snatch is him struggling to adapt to the physicality of the British game but Southampton have a notorious knack to overcome that with new arrivals and develop them into Premier League quality, as well as first names on the team sheet.
Do the Saints need an additional winger?
It is most definitely early days in the Premier League season so it's still difficult to predict how the club's campaign will role out but, at this moment in time, it looks to be a mediocre year with an ambitious, distant push for a place in Europe.
Pellegrino has fortunately not had too many major injury concerns up to this point so that isn't an area to be worried about. However, the wide options among the ranks aren't necessarily weak, but light in terms of numbers.
The names of Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal are the only arguable out-and-out wingers in the team although Pellegrino has an abundance of versatile forwards; Dušan Tadić, Shane Long and Manolo Gabbiadini can also be deployed in those positions with youth prospects such as Josh Sims waiting for their opportunity.
Alfonso Pedraza, who has plenty of time to prosper and flourish into a real talent at St. Mary's, could add much-needed competition at Southampton and it would only be a matter of following through on this transfer rumour for supporters to recognise the player's true potential.