SAINTS are weighing up their options with Gaston Ramirez after failing to move him on during the transfer window.

The 24-year-old Uruguayan, Saints’ third most expensive ever signing at £12m, is in the final year of his contract at the club.

Saints boss Ronald Koeman has admitted he can see no first-team future for Ramirez at St Mary’s, and was hoping to get him a move away before the close of the transfer window.

However, the deadline passed with Ramirez still a Saints player, and still on the wage bill.

Koeman hinted that Ramirez had a chance to force his way into his plans during pre-season, but grew frustrated at the attacking talent’s continued injury problems, which have blighted his time in England.

Ramirez is now out of the first-team equation and is an expensive man to have around not playing.

The Daily Echo understands that has led the club to consider their options.

The best of those would be to loan him out. There is a possibility that a Championship club could be interested in him, with the Football League loan window opening on Wednesday.

Though they would be unlikely to cover all of his wages, they would pay a small loan fee and at least contribute towards Ramirez, meaning Saints were slightly less out of pocket.

The other option on the table is to terminate his contract and make him a free agent.

That most likely would involve a settlement, and a potentially big expense for Saints, but if he was prepared to negotiate they may be able to come to an agreement that means they don’t pay the full year, and he is then free to move to wherever he wants for nothing.

It is a frustration for Saints that it has come to this with Ramirez, with much hoped for from him when he joined form Bologna in 2012.

However, he has never been able to hold down a regular place in the team, making just 50 appearances in three seasons at the club, one of which saw him loaned out to Hull as they were relegated form the top flight.

As good as Saints have been in the transfer market recently, they are certainly counting the cost of a few dud signings.

Dani Osvaldo cost around £25m in total, Ramirez a £12m fee plus his wages and Emmanuel Mayuka, who has now left for Metz, £3m plus wages.