Southampton are expected to lose some key players between now and the end of the transfer window, as long-serving skipper James Ward-Prowse and in-demand pair Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento continue to be linked with the St Mary's exit.
What players have Southampton sold?
Since finishing bottom of the Premier League, and thus finding themselves in the Championship this coming season, Southampton have sold Mislav Orsic to Trabzonspor and released the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi and Theo Walcott.
In truth, none of those losses will be majorly felt as the south coast side seek an instant return to the big time, but that could soon change given the speculation surrounding the aforementioned trio of Ward-Prowse, Lavia and Livramento.
There does not seem to be a top-flight side that has not shown an interest in Lavia, with Liverpool now looking well-positioned to sign the defender, while Livramento is supposedly wanted by Chelsea and Newcastle United.
The Saints could raise large sums for both, but it goes beyond money alone when it comes to Ward-Prowse. However, the Daily Mail claims Southampton are in talks with Everton for Mason Holgate, which could go a long way to softening the blow of the club captain departing.
What position does Mason Holgate play?
While Holgate has featured as a holding midfielder at times, he is a centre-back by trade who can occasionally fill in on the right. That means he is not a like-for-like replacement for West Ham United target Ward-Prowse, but Russell Martin is no doubt already on the lookout for a central midfielder.
Instead, Holgate can take over from Ward-Prowse – assuming the fan favourite does indeed move on this summer – in terms of his leadership qualities.
The 26-year-old has previously captained Everton and has been hailed as a "leader" by the Liverpool Echo's Sam Carroll. Southampton still have plenty of quality in their squad, but they lack obvious leaders beyond Ward-Prowse.
As someone who has been on Everton's books since 2015, Holgate is clearly loyal and also a team player, given he has had to be patient for his limited opportunities at Goodison Park.
That is not to mention the other qualities Holgate can bring to Southampton, such as his ability to clear the ball and tackle opponents – arguably the two most important traits for any centre-back.
Holgate ranks in the top 11% of all centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances per 90 minutes (4.97), according to FBref, as well as the top 21% for interceptions per 90 (1.24).
The Doncaster native is also capable of bringing the ball out from the back, ranked as he is in the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90 minutes (0.53).
While it must be factored in that Holgate – valued at around £4m by Football Observatory – only played 508 minutes of Premier League football last season, the numbers show that he stood up when called upon.
If the former England U21 international now has to drop down a tier to play regular football, it may well be that Everton's loss is Southampton's gain.