BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl insists "it's never too late" for his players to prove they deserve a new contract at Saints.

The club have a handful of players currently set to leave the club this summer, with some first-team players also about to enter the final year of their deals.

Goalkeeping trio Fraser Forster, Willy Caballero and Harry Lewis, along with veteran striker Shane Long, are all due to become free agents in less than three months team.

Meanwhile, it is understood Theo Walcott, Nathan Redmond, Oriol Romeu, Moussa Djenepo, Yan Valery are among those who see their deals expire in the summer of 2023.

Asked today if Saints were considering offering in-form Forster a new deal, Hasenhuttl said: “Absolutely.

“There are a lot of arguments for doing this, and I am sure we will find with him a very good solution for the future.

“As I said, I was very happy with he way he reacted when he got the chance to play.

“I think he absolutely grabbed the chance with all his effort. A very good argument for him, definitely.”

And quizzed by the Daily Echo if most decisions on expiring contracts had already been made, or if that could depend on how the final six games of the season go, Hasenhuttl added: "Decisions in the way that you extend or whatever will be taken very often at the end of the season.

"But we have our plan and we have our views about the players. But as always, things can change even in the last two weeks.

"They can change and suddenly you think ‘okay, maybe we go again with him'.

"It’s important for the players to see that it’s never too late to show up and you are never safe even if you had a good season.

"So you should always try to perform to the highest possible level, it helps definitely and gives you good arguments."