Southampton have utilised the loan market to its maximum this season.
Championship rules stipulate that a team is only allowed to name five loan players in their matchday squad and Southampton have been using that to their advantage.
Following Premier League relegation last season, the club had to be clever with their business and loan deals represented an astute way of avoiding spending big fees to bolster the squad ahead a season in the Championship.
Ryan Fraser, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Mason Holgate all joined for the season in the summer, however Holgate returned to parent club Everton in January before joining Sheffield United on loan.
In January, Southampton added Joe Rothwell and David Brooks to their ranks, both from Bournemouth, thus maximising their loan quota.
The latter of the two, Brooks, spoke to Radio Solent Sports Editor Adam Blackmore about his time at the club so far and provided an update on his future.
David Brooks unsure on Southampton future
The Welsh winger spoke on the naivety of thinking he could step straight back into a Premier League side following almost two years out with cancer, playing regularly at Southampton, as well as looking ahead to the play-offs.
Blackmore then asked Brooks what the summer will hold and the 26-year-old responded: “To be honest I haven’t given it a moment’s thought.
“When I came here the main focus was to get promoted. I wanted that to look back on at the end of my career and think I was a part of that and I contributed to that. So that was the main reason I wanted to come, along with playing football.”
Brooks went on to add: “In terms of the summer, it’s kind of out of my hands. I don’t know what Bournemouth want to do with me… whether they want me or whether they want to get rid of me. I don’t know if Southampton want to keep me.
“There’s a lot of spinning plates involved in that. I’m just trying to do my best this season and pick my choices at the end of it and see what options you have available.”
Should Southampton sign Brooks?
In Brooks’ first few games for the club his quality was clear but, understandably, he lacked a bit of match sharpness.
In just his second game, the winger came on at half-time to provide two assists in a thrilling 5-3 home win over Huddersfield Town.
In total, Brooks has scored two goals and provided five assists in his 17 Championship games, but has only registered two goal contributions in his last ten games.
He has started the last seven games under Southampton manager Russell Martin and most recently played in the attacking midfield role vacated by the injured Stuart Armstrong.
Fans were excited to see what Brooks could do in that position, but the loanee was bitterly disappointing in the 1-0 loss to Stoke City.
Martin is a big fan of Brooks and even claimed in February that he would “sign Brooksy to a contract that he has to stay with me until he retires” if he could.
The former Sheffield United man has a contract with Bournemouth until 2026 so it is difficult to know what kind of fee the Cherries may want should they decide to sell Brooks.
However, on the basis of what he has shown at Southampton in the recent weeks it may be that the club decide against pursuing a permanent move and focus on alternative targets.