With the past season becoming a distant memory and thoughts already turning to the next campaign, the minds of many football fans are running gleefully wild.

Uppermost in their thoughts are discussions over just what signings are required to push a club forward, to make that next big step.

The musings are no different for fans of Premier League clubs, all the way down the ladder to those in non-league, maybe even park football.

They are certainly occupying plenty of space in the minds of Saints fans, who have seen their club have a wonderful first season back in the top flight, but with big ambitions to push on apace they know that the squad cannot stand still.

There are sure to be some ins, some outs, some moves that don’t quite happen, and a few wild rumours that were probably never even true in the first place.

This is the summer transfer window, the place to dream.

Here at The Pink we take a look at the areas Mauricio Pochettino may well target as part of his summer plans.

Goalkeeper

Unless Saints have an unlimited budget, it’s very hard to imagine Mauricio Pochettino prioritising a goalkeeper as a top signing this summer.

Saints have three keepers vying for the number one spot and that seems plenty enough.

And, with two of them having been handed extended contracts in the closing months of the season, it seems there is no real desire to make a change.

Artur Boruc, pictured below, has been the number one for the vast majority of 2013.

The Polish stopper had a bit of a chequered start to life at St Mary’s but settled down to make the place between the posts his own.

Boruc initially only signed a contract until the end of the season but, after penning a new two year deal, it would certainly seem Pochettino has made the decision to keep him high amongst his options.

Boruc’s chief competition for the goalkeeping position is Kelvin Davis.

The veteran stopper started the season as number one but found himself in and out of the side before being usurped by Boruc.

Like Boruc, he may have been unsure of what the future held for him, but a contract extension means he is at St Mary’s to stay.

With those two experienced keepers on hefty contracts, it is hard to imagine another keeper coming in who is going to compete to be first choice.

And, with Paolo Gazzaniga still learning his game, Saints have good strength in depth in this position.

Verdict: With three first team options available it is hard to imagine Saints recruiting another keeper this summer.

Defence

It was the major area for concern in the early part of last season but by the end of the campaign had become far more stable.

Saints boast four first team quality centre halves.

Jose Fonte and Jos Hooiveld both recovered from shaky starts to establish their credentials in the top flight.

Maya Yoshida has been a superb signing and really helped shore up the leaky backline when it was most in trouble.

Vegard Forren has been pretty non-existent so far, but with a full pre-season behind him Saints fans will see what persuaded the club to part with £4m for his services.

The other centre halves that sit behind those four, such as Dan Seaborne and even Aaron Martin, are well down the pecking order now and are likely to be amongst those that leave in the summer.

The full back positions arguably do need a bit of strengthening.

That is not in terms of first choice players, because in right back Nathaniel Clyne and left back Luke Shaw (pictured left), Saints have two of the hottest young English defensive properties in the division.

However, the odd injury or suspension has shown up a lack of cover.

At left back the only cover for Shaw has been Danny Fox, and when he hasn’t been available either it’s been a case of considering moving Clyne across and shifting Jack Cork to right back. One player’s absence should not mean weakening other areas of the team to compensate.

Likewise the cover for Clyne is debatable.

Frazer Richardson and Danny Butterfield are both out of contract this summer and it’s hard to see them being retained.

Verdict: Any centre half signing would be a top quality player to come straight into the first team. At least one full back could be recruited for squad cover.

Midfield

This area can basically be broken up into two blocks – the defensive midfield two that sit in front of the back four, and the attacking three in behind the main striker.

The defensive two have been dominated this season by Morgan Schneiderlin and Jack Cork, who have been superb together.

It’s virtually impossible to see that pairing being broken up, though as Steven Davis is the only other player really considered for those roles, and he has proved himself further forward, there could be an argument for a third to be signed this summer to compete.

Whether that is the case or not probably depends on whether Mauricio Pochettino sees James Ward-Prowse in the same bracket as Nigel Adkins obviously did.

If he does then that will be seen as adequate cover already at the club.

As for the attacking three there is a plethora of options, so again any signing would only surely be a genuine first team player rather than a squad player.

Across the three roles you already have Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez, Jason Puncheon, Gaston Ramirez, Guly do Prado and Steven Davis regularly competing for places.

On the face of it, that is plenty enough in the way of numbers.

There has been talk of Ramirez being sold on this summer after a mixed first season where he didn’t quite sparkle in the way a £12m signing might. Perhaps too much was expected of him as he adapted to life in England.

If Ramirez does go then his replacement could be this summer’s marquee signing – a player of genuine pedigree and repute.

Verdict: If Saints do sell Ramirez this summer Saints may replace him with a signing of similar stature. In the defensive area it all depends on whether Pochettino sees Ward-Prowse as a first team player.

Attack

Saints legend Matt Le Tissier believes another top class striking option should be a top priority for the club this summer if they are to progress and it’s hard to argue with him.

There is no doubt that Saints have been utterly reliant, over reliant at times maybe, on Rickie Lambert, pictured below.

He has delivered the goods time and time again. He has simply been absolutely brilliant for the club.

But Saints cannot just keep on hoping and assuming he will be there, fit and firing.

That he has stayed so injury free is as remarkable as his goalscoring record given the physical style of his game.

There he has been though, the only Saints player to feature in every Premier League game this season.

It’s just as well too because when you take Lambert out of the mix you are left scratching your head for alternatives.

Jay Rodriguez is an accomplished striker and could fill in, but he has proven so effective in the three behind the main forward that you wouldn’t want to lose his threat from that area.

Emmanuel Mayuka joined last summer for £3.5m and has made a whole host of substitute appearances, but as yet hasn’t done enough to suggest he is going to be a regular starter and goalscorer at Premier League level.

Perhaps after a season settling in that may change, but you can only judge on what we have seen so far.

Beyond that you are looking at playing Guly do Prado there but it’s hard to find much else with the likes of Tadanari Lee, Billy Sharp and Lee Barnard seemingly so far adrift that their days at the club appear numbered.

That all adds up to the thinking that Saints may well spend on a striker.

Verdict: Saints will surely at last get some frontline back-up and competition for Rickie Lambert. If there is to be a big money, big name signing this summer, don’t be surprised if it comes in this position.