Another ambitious transfer target, Dutch playmaker Sneijder was the star of the World Cup four years ago and a regular in the Dutch team that made it to the semi-finals this summer. A move to Southampton, therefore, seems a bit like an outside bet, especially given Louis van Gaal and Manchester United are Saints' rivals to sign the player. However, Sneijder, who is still just 30 and managed an impressive 17 goals and 9 assists in all competitions for Galatasaray last season, has reportedly had a falling out with the Turkish club's coach Hamza Hamzaoglu and is looking for a move this January. Sneijder would apparently be available at around £7 million, which seems very cheap for a player of his stature even if he is undoubtedly not the player he once was. The rumoured move of Sneijder to St. Mary's rests largely on the powers of Koeman, one of the Netherlands' great players of the past, convincing his compatriot of Southampton's status as genuine contenders. There have been some pundits suggesting that the arrival of such a star name could unbalance the harmony of the Saints squad in the dressing room and on the pitch, but that is surely a risk worth taking in order to capture such a world class player.
