Saints could bag themselves a two for the price of one bargain as they attempt to shift bad boy Dani Osvaldo.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Inter Milan are closing in on a deal to take Osvaldo on a season long loan deal with an option to make the move permanent for around €7m (£5.5m).

That would obviously be a huge loss on the club record initial fee of £12.9m that was paid out for the Italian international striker last summer, but does get his significant wages off the books for another season.

Saints are also using him as a makeweight to bring in new signings, offsetting the loss in his value with Ronald Koeman’s need for new faces.

They are hopeful of tying up a deal to sign 22-year-old Algerian midfielder Saphir Taider, main picture, on similar terms, with a season long loan and option to buy for around €7m (£5.5m).

On top of that, sources close to Inter suggest that Saints could also work another loan into the equation and bag Ezequiel Schelotto too.

That would be with a buy out option of around €5m (£3.9m).

Both Taider and Schelotto are well thought of international midfielders.

Taider, who starred for Algeria at the World Cup, having opted to represent them at international level despite being born in France and having played for Les Blues at youth level, is an attacking midfielder.

He started his career with Grenoble before quickly being snapped up by Serie A side Bologna.

However, his talents were such that it didn’t take long for the giants of Italian football to become interested, with Inter Milan paying €5.5m last summer to bring him to the San Siro.

Taider has held talks over his future with Inter, who are keen to convince him to make the move to Saints.

Schelotto was born in Argentina but has won one full cap for Italy, against England in 2012.

Like Taider, he is also an attacking midfielder, who has even been nicknamed ‘The Greyhound’ thanks to his speed.

Schelotto started his career at Cesena before moving to Atalanta. From there he had loan spells back at Cesena and also Catania before his switch to Inter.

However, he has struggled to make a first team breakthrough and spent last season on loan at Sassuolo and then at Parma.

He scored five goals in 27 games for the two clubs.