It's stick-or-twist time for Stekelenburg; if he stays with Saints for another season and doesn't get much game time, he's going to have to resign himself to being a backup through his twilight years. Few clubs are going to offer a multi-year deal to a 34 year old who has spent as much time on the bench as Stek has since '12/'13, so this loan spell is probably his last, best chance to springboard to a starting role elsewhere. His contract expires after '16/'17; he's likely going to want to play as often as possible heading into its expiration.
Now, a lot of keepers wouldn't be too unhappy with being a good-team backup, if his other option is being a starter at a lower salary. That said, whether we're interested in keeping on a well-compensated backup is another matter entirely.