According to a report from The Daily Mirror earlier this week, Southampton were one side interested in a January move for Che Adams. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his impressive efforts in front of goal for Garry Monk’s men seemingly attracting interest from new Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

And that’s because a report from The Daily Mirror on Monday outlined Southampton’s interest in the striker, only for the club to fail to get a deal done for the Englishman prior to the deadline at 11pm on Thursday.

And while that transfer failure may well come as great disappointment to Saints fans, what it does do is pave the way for Charlie Austin, valued at £9 million by Transfermarkt, to seek to save his Southampton career.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 22-year-old Adams has proven to be one of the hottest properties outside of the Premier League this season with a sensational 15 goals in just 29 Championship games for Birmingham, a tally that sees him sit fifth in the second tier’s goal-scoring charts.

And with nine goals the season before in the Blues’ run to 19th place in the division, and seven in his first campaign at the club in 2016/17, it’s clear that the striker has been getting better and better as the years have gone by, culminating in a staggering return in front of goal this time round - he certainly seems set for big things in the game.

And in a Southampton side that have struggled for goals for the best part of 18 months now, he could well have been the ideal addition in January, only for the club to ultimately fail to lure the 22-year-old to St Mary’s.

As such, Hasenhuttl will have to make-do with the striking options already at his disposal, with Englishman Austin one man who may look at the failure to sign Adams as the opportunity he needs to save his Saints career.

The 29-year-old was linked (as per talkSPORT) with a move away from St Mary’s during January such has been his struggles for game time following Hasenhuttl’s appointment in December, what with the striker starting just twice in the nine Premier League games the Austrian has taken charge of.

And in failing to even make their last two league matchday squads, it’s pretty clear just how low down the pecking order Austin is under Hasenhuttl - but failing to land a striker this month may well give him the chance to keep his Southampton career alive.

Clearly, there is a hugely adept striker in the 29-year-old given he scored seven times for the club last season and nine the campaign before, which added to fruitful spells at Burnley and Queens Park Rangers suggest a forward that, when the chance arrives in the penalty box, invariably finds the back of the net.

Yes, he may not be the ideal man to lead the line in a Hasenhuttl team, but with goals something of a premium for the Saints this season, they may well need his striking pedigree in the second half of the campaign.

So while the failure to land Adams may frustrate some Southampton fans, what it does appear to do is at least give Austin the opportunity, given he didn’t leave the club in January, to save his career on the South Coast.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!