SAINTS are making a transfer deadline day swoop for Newcastle left-back Olivier Bernard - but look set to lose out in their bid to capture Nottingham Forest winger Andy Reid.

The 25-year-old Bernard travelled to Southampton this morning to finalise a deal thought to be in the region of £400,000.

The player will have to agree personal terms and pass a medical.

Paris-born Bernard has been at Newcastle for nearly five years, but has fallen down the pecking order after Toon boss Graeme Souness recently signed Celestine Babayaro from Chelsea.

Saints manager Harry Redknapp has been keen to add some pace to his team and has earmarked the wide positions as areas in need of improvement.

Bernard will be seen as a long-term replacement for Graeme Le Saux, but he can also push forward into left midfield - a position recently occupied by Anders Svensson who is out of contract at the end of the season.

The Frenchman has played more than 100 times for Newcastle, having joined on a free transfer from Lyon during the summer of 2000.

But his contract expires at the end of the season and he has refused to accept the new terms on offer at St James' Park.

Redknapp, though, looks unlikely to sign highly-rated Forest winger Reid or Paulo Di Canio, who was this morning linked to Saints by a national newspaper.

Saints and Forest had agreed a deal thought to be £3m plus Darren Kenton and Brett Ormerod for Republic of Ireland international Reid.

But the player reported for training at Nottingham Forest this morning and does not appear keen on a move to St Mary's, with Tottenham thought to be his preferred destination.

Redknapp said after the dramatic FA Cup win over Pompey on Saturday that he thought Reid might be snatched from his grasp by the north Londoners.

"We have made an offer, but I think you'll find he might go somewhere else. I'd love him, but I wouldn't bet on it," he said.

"The chairman has done a deal, he's pushed the boat out and done a deal, but there's Tottenham in the background. If they want him we will struggle."

Forest manager Gary Megson said: "The facts are that Southampton and Forest have agreed a deal whereby we'll get some money and two players in return for Andy Reid.

"We're happy with that, Southampton are happy with that and now it's up to Andy himself and the other players."

Redknapp has been desperate to find someone to bring a bit of pace and sparkle to the Saints midfield and has previously enquired after Wolves' Henri Camara, Charlton's Jason Euell and Pompey striker Ricardo Fuller.

The likely capture of Bernard will help make up for the disappointment of missing out on French international defender Vincent Candela on Friday.

The transfer window closes tonight.