Southampton are likely to miss out on the capture of long-term transfer target Henrik Falchener with a number of Premier League clubs now understood to have shown an interest in the Viking Stavanger star.
The Saints were first reported to have cast their eyes on the talented Danish defender last winter before making an official move during the summer window.
However, despite their best efforts to seal a deal, the Norwegian side rebuffed a number of bids including one in excess of £8 million.
It was expected the Championship club would continue to monitor the 23-year-old ahead of the re-opening of the transfer window in January, although their hopes of capturing the in-demand central defender have now seemingly diminished somewhat.
According to European transfer guru Florian Plettenberg, there has been significant interest shown in Falchener over the past few weeks, with top-tier sides on the continent weighing-up a winter deal.
"Henrik Falchener, one to watch for the summer transfer window at the latest - and in tonight’s games between Viking Stavanger and FC Bayern," the German reporter posted on X on Tuesday evening.
"The 23 y/o promising centre-back is attracting interest from the Premier League, Bundesliga and Italy.
"Southampton made a €9.5m offer in the summer, but Viking wanted to keep him. Contract until 2029."
Southampton, whose head coach Tonda Eckert penned a new contract with the club on Wednesday, added Kevan Schlotterbeck and Zach Abbott to his defensive ranks in the summer, but had hoped to further complement those arrivals with the high-profile signing of Viking's powerhouse.
Falchener has earned himself plenty of admirers for his performances in Norway this term, and also impressed for his club as they held German powerhouse Bayern Munich to a surprise draw in the UEFA Champions League last night.
Despite England skipper Harry Kane's double, the underdogs earned themselves a share of the spoils in what was a pulsating six-goal thriller at the Lyse Arena, where Falchener made more defensive contributions than any other player.
Interest in the two-time capped Norwegian international will likely see Championship promotion hopefuls Southampton cast their attentions elsewhere as they begin to ramp up preparations for the upcoming transfer window.
According to reports online, Eckert is keen to bring in another defender and wide player to help aid his side's hopes of securing a Premier League return.
