SAINTS could pick up Dany N’Guessan for a knockdown price if Nigel Adkins decides to make a permanent move for the Leicester winger.

The 23-year-old, pictured right, spent the second half of last season on loan at Saints and a deal to bring him to St Mary’s full time could be struck.

N’Guessan only has a year left on his contract at the Walkers Stadium and is down Sven- Goran Eriksson’s pecking order and unlikely to climb much further back.

It is believed that Leicester are prepared to let him leave for little more than a nominal fee.

The player himself has even accepted a summer trial at French top flight side SM Caen to try and find first team football.

N’Guessan would almost certainly jump at the chance to make the switch to Saints, but is likely to remain a back-up option for the wide areas.

Saints are pressing ahead with investigating potential signings ahead of the new Championship season.

But with N’Guessan making only a limited impact after joining in January, they are probably going to keep him on the backburner while they see what other deals could be struck.

With N’Guessan being a pacy wide player Adkins will also be monitoring the situation with Alex Chamberlain and any potential Premier League move.

If the England under-19 international does leave, Saints may need further cover on the flanks – especially, if as looks likely, Jason Puncheon also leaves St Mary’s this summer.

Lee Holmes and Guly do Prado are other wing options N’Guessan started his career in his home country of France with Auxerre but left without making an appearance to join Scottish giants Rangers.

After two years at Ibrox he moved to England with Lincoln City where he made his name as a quick and skilful attacking player, notching up almost 100 appearances for the Imps and scoring 16 goals.

He rejected a new contract at Sincil Bank in favour of a move to Leicester and immediately established himself in their first team for whom he has made 31 appearances, scoring three goals.

However, there was some unfortunate timing for N’Guessan who picked up an injury just days after Eriksson took over as manager at the Walkers Stadium last October.

As a result he fell out of the Swede’s plans and, by the time he was fit again, Eriksson had totally changed Leicester and the French winger was out in the cold.

After a brief loan spell at Scunthorpe at the back end of last year, Adkins moved to bring him to Saints for the rest of the season.

N’Guessan went on to make two starts and five appearances for Saints in their ultimately successful promotion push.