Wantaway defender Virgil van Dijk could end his Southampton exile this weekend, according to manager Mauricio Pellegrino.
The Holland international handed in a transfer request over the summer amid strong speculation linking him with a move away from St Mary's.
Van Dijk has not featured in any of Saints' five matches so far this campaign due to the uncertainty over his future, and has not played competitively since suffering a foot ligament injury against Leicester in January.
He was selected for an Under-23 game on Monday evening - a 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa - and may now be a surprise inclusion for the Premier League fixture at Crystal Palace on Saturday as he attempts to get his career back on track.