RALPH Hasenhuttl’s Saints revolution is set to begin with the summer transfer window opening today.

Premier League clubs have until August 8 to complete their squads ahead of next season and there is much work for Saints to do.

Hasenhuttl has already spoken of his desire to add quality to the Saints ranks in the coming weeks, targeting young and hungry players eager to make their mark.

But just as crucial will be whether Saints can offload players with a massive squad currently assembled at St Mary’s, particularly once everybody returns from loan spells.

Adam Leitch takes a look at each department of the Saints squad to assess what may be done.

Goalkeepers

This is an area where Saints could comfortably lose a senior player.

Realistically, they do not require three potential first team goalkeepers. Two plus a youngster, currently Harry Lewis, is perfectly acceptable.

Angus Gunn is the one who definitely stays.

Daily Echo: Angus GunnAngus Gunn

Saints paid good money for him last summer and he has established himself as the first pick under Hasenhuttl.

The question is whether Saints would choose to move on Alex McCarthy or Fraser Forster, or, possibly, which one they could move on.

Forster’s dramatic fall from grace saw the club try and shift him in the last couple of windows without success.

Forster, understandably, has his sights set on a certain standard of club to move to, and is on a huge contract which still has a further three years left to run, but Hasenhuttl’s late recall of the stopper for the West Ham game suggests he hasn’t given up on him yet.

Daily Echo: Fraser ForsterFraser Forster

McCarthy maybe feels a little aggrieved to no longer be number one just a year after winning Player of the Season.

He is not believed to carry the wages that Forster does, making him an easier buy for another club, but Hasenhuttl needs to decide if he has a strong preference and, if not, which is the easiest sell.

Centre halves

Saints have been defensively suspect and Hasenhuttl would likely want to add a top quality centre half to the ranks for next season.

However, this is a possible which falls into the ‘priorities’ category.

That is because Saints already have five first team centre halves which is enough to cover the two or three starting positions and have back-ups.

Daily Echo: Jan BednarekJan Bednarek

So if a centre half is to be added then it is likely to have to mean one will depart.

Jannik Vestergaard and Jan Bednarek look safe, while Maya Yoshida’s experience counts for him.

Therefore, the ones most likely to be on the chopping block are Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens.

Hoedt has been bombed out by Hasenhuttl and so you would assume he would be prepared to lose him permanently, but that requires somebody to stump up the money and wages to buy him.

The only slight saving grace could be that if Saints were to only be able to kick the can down the road again with a full season loan at least they could still sign a player with the financial security that Yoshida only has a year left to run on his contract.

Daily Echo: Wesley HoedtWesley Hoedt

Stephens has played quite a lot this season and would be unfortunate to be deemed surplus to requirements, but he would have a value and a market and if he stayed may have to accept a place further down the pecking order.

All of this also fails to take into account the potential promotion of a young player such as Alfie Jones which might be where Hasenhuttl looks first if he can’t recruit in this position.

Full backs/wing backs

The left side looks pretty well stacked.

Two potential first teamers vying for one spot in Ryan Bertrand and Matt Targett is plenty enough, especially when you consider there is a youngster Hasenhuttl rates in Jake Vokins lurking in the background.

The only dilemma there would be if Targett grows impatient and tries to force his way out for increased opportunities, but Hasenhuttl will aim to keep him on board.

Daily Echo: Ryan Bertrand and Matt TargettRyan Bertrand and Matt Targett

Sam McQueen also comes into the equation but given his injury problems and the players ahead of him it is hard to see a future for him at Saints.

The right side is more problematic.

Yan Valery is obviously the one that Hasenhuttl rates and the young Frenchman looks like being first choice for next season, but Saints cannot go with just one player for that position.

Cedric Soares has been loaned out. Some make the argument that Saints should get him back as an experienced option.

It makes sense in that, with just a year left on his contract, it would probably cost as much to replace Cedric as they will get for selling him.

But if Hasenhuttl doesn’t want him around it is better to make the change.

Daily Echo: Cedric SoaresCedric Soares

Much depends on how he sees Kayne Ramsay developing. He has been reluctant to use him when Valery has been absent, so will he kick on to be a strong enough option that Saints could sell Cedric and not replace?

Just shuffling James Ward-Prowse or Jack Stephens around isn’t a workable long-term solution as Saints would have serious issues if Valery picked up a serious injury.

  • Part two of Adam Leitch's take on Ralph's revolution will be online tomorrow [Friday] from 5am