It has been a largely positive start to the season for Southampton under new manager Claude Puel.

The south coast outfit are currently 10th in the Premier League table and closing in on a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

A famous win against Inter Milan at St Mary’s last week was followed up by a league defeat to a lowly Hull City side though, in a match that highlighted the problems this current Saints team has.

While they appear to be less solid at the back than in recent years, they are also struggling to put the ball into the back of the net.

There is a real over-reliance on Charlie Austin when it comes to goals, and they must start coming from other areas of the pitch if Southampton are to progress once again this term.

It could be an issue that Puel addresses in January with some positions needing improvement.

And with all this taken into consideration, here are five players Southampton need to consider signing during the winter transfer window.

RB: Laurent Jans

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While they have three decent options in the left-back position in the form of Ryan Bertrand, Matt Targett and Sam McQueen, Saints certainly have less depth at right-back.

Summer signing Jeremy Pied was ruled out for the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, while Cedric Soares has also been missing in recent weeks.

In that time, Cuco Martina has filled in, but with the matches coming thick and fast, centre-back Maya Yoshida performed ad hoc duties against Hull.

It is a spot that Puel could look at in January, and he has been linked with a £1m move for Luxembourg international Laurent Jans by Le Quotidien, which could signal the end of Martina’s Saints career.

CB: Omar Colley

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Saints captain Jose Fonte was heavily linked with a move away from the club during the summer with Manchester United and Jose Mourinho said to be sniffing around.

With the Red Devils struggling at the back, Mourinho could reignite his interest for the Portugal international in January – a rumour that has further intensified by the fact Fonte hasn’t played a single minute of his club’s Europa League campaign, meaning he wouldn’t be cup-tied in Europe if he did move to Old Trafford.

According to The Sun, Genk defender Colley is one of the defenders that has caught the attention of Claude Puel with some impressive performances for the Belgian outfit, and the interest could become more serious during the  January transfer window.

DM: William Carvalho

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Saints were linked with a move for the Euro 2016 winner by The Sun during the summer transfer window, and it is a rumour that could be recycled in January.

While Oriol Romeu is doing a fine job at the bottom of the diamond for Claude Puel – and has arguably been the club’s player of the season so far this term – there is little competition for the Spaniard.

Carvalho has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and Southampton wouldn’t be the only interested club if the midfielder decided to make the switch to England from Sporting Lisbon.

CM: Yunus Malli

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With Dusan Tadic, Sofiane Boufal, Steven Davis, Jordy Clasie, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu scoring just two Premier League goals between so far this term, Claude Puel could well be looking for a goalscoring midfielder in January.

One name the club has previously been linked with by Tuttomercatoweb is Mainz's Malli, and the attacking midfielder has been in fine goalscoring form for the Bundesliga team this season, netting seven goals in 16 appearances in all competitions.

It would be typical of Saints to pluck a lesser known player and turn him into a Premier League star, and the Turkey international could be next on their list.

ST: Paul-Georges Ntep

With the over-reliance on Austin for goals, Saints may look to bring in another striker during the January transfer window.

Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez have both struggled to find the net and Nathan Redmond is still learning his new position despite impressing.

From his years managing in France, Puel will know that Ntep is one of the most highly-rated attackers in Ligue 1. However, he could be put off by the fact the 24-year-old has failed to score in nine appearances for Rennes this term.