Mystery surrounds Bartosz Bialkowski's future at Southampton

The Polish keeper’s contract at St Mary’s expired this summer, though he has been offered a new one.

Only on June 25 , the 23-year-old told The Daily Echo that he planned to return to England from a break in Poland and sign a new deal.

“I will be back at Southampton for the start of the season and I am hoping to stay with them,” he insisted.

“They have offered me a contract and I will be coming back to England to hopefully sign and stay.

“I want to stay with Southampton because it’s a great club and I want to continue my career with them.”

But since those comments, Saints have returned for pre-season training and there has been no word from the club on Bialkowski’s future.

Meanwhile, speculation in the Polish media suggests Bialkowski, pictured left, has failed a medical at Portuguese side Braga.

Bialkowski was being lined up by top-flight runners-up Braga to replace Portugal’s World Cup number one Eduardo, who has joined Italian’s Genoa.

It is also thought Bialkowski has not travelled with the rest of the first-team squad to Switzerland for the ten-day pre-season tour.

When contacted by the Daily Echo yesterday, neither Bialkowski nor his agent would comment.

If Bialkowski does leave, it poses a problem for manager Alan Pardew with less than a month to go before the season starts on August 7.

Club captain Kelvin Davis is Pardew’s undoubted number one.

And with the 6ft 4in Pole on board, Saints would have a more than able deputy to call on, and probably the best first and second choice keepers in League One.

Bialkowski stood in for Davis when the latter was ruled out with a groin injury last November.

He excelled during an eight-game spell between the sticks, helping Saints win five of them.

But, without Bialkowski, who joined Saints in 2006 and has played 31 times for the club, there is currently a worrying lack of experience behind Davis.

Tommy Forecast, who played the second half against FC Thun on Tuesday, is the only other senior keeper on Saints’ books.

But Forecast, who joined Saints from Spurs in 2008 for an undisclosed fee on a fiveyear deal, has yet to play for the first team.

His only four career senior appearances came during a loan spell at League Two club Grimsby last season.

And behind Forecast Saints only have youngsters such as Jack Dovey, who played for the Saints XI against Havant & Waterlooville on Tuesday.