Dusic

Striker. He can play out wide but isn't a winger. Fully expect we would use him down the middle. Could be a buy with a view to reverting to the diamond long term as he could thrive in a front two also.

This is definitely a problem area IMO. We have no genuine cover for Romeu and a series of players, JWP, Clasie and Reed who have to be paired in the right way with other players in order to avoid having a very lightweight or small midfield. Romeu and Davis are nailed on starters in our best team and currently JWP fills the other slot. Take Romeu out and we have zero physicality and must be a delight to play against in that area. My no1 summer request would be a box to box central midfielder with an ability to run for 90mins and who can get to loose balls quicker than the likes of Clasie, Hojbjerg and JWP. Would help with our issue of being counter attacked from our own set plays also - we have a very slow centre midfield.

What the **** are you on about?

Price has now gone up and Napoli considering loaning him or renewing contract. Saints being trolled by De Laurentiis who knows we have an agreement with the player. http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/southampton-negotiating-with-napoli-for-gabbiadini-no-agreement-yet-between-clubs Wilson getting some experience in the big leagues of Italian negotiation, wonder when we walk away?

De Laurentiis is a mercato pro, he would eat wee Ross for breakfast! Still a way to go on this one and its getting pricy for someone who hasn't played much recently. http://www.ultimecalcionapoli.it/calciomercato/274128/venerato-telefonata-infuocata-tra-de-laurentiis-e-lagente-di-gabbiadini-la-risposta-del-southampton-al-napoli/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Market news regarding the transfer of Manolo Gabbiadini from Naples to Southampton directly by journalist and industry expert Rai, Ciro Venerable, that during Zone 11 PM took stock of the situation. This morning there was a call from bright tones between the agent of the player, Silvio Pagliari, and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has not accepted the offer of Southampton for 16 million euro plus four bonus. The blue president is willing to give Gabbiadini 17 million plus 3 divided bonus as well: one million after ten goals scored, another million at 15 and the third at 20 goals he scored during the entire duration of the contract until 2021 . Moreover De Laurentiis claims 10% on future sale of the player. The Southampton answer is negative on 10% discount on future resale and on the base station, while the bonuses you can deal because the four million bonus offered so far would be divided into two million easily accessible and the other two are difficult to reach. Currently Pagliari and Guintoli are pressing the English club so that it can change the offer.

Sunderland willing to match our offer apparently now they have the Van Aanholt money. Sounds like this saga will continue to roll on...

Once the Anfield euphoria dies down a little in the coming days this will feel like a huge blow. To lose our best player in our weakest position cover wise for most of the rest of the season is ****. Especially as he will surely go in the summer. Such a shame.

From the Italian reports it sounds like the Napoli Chairman De Laurentiis keeps rejecting our offers and pushing the price higher. Apparently we have offered a 5m loan with 15m option in the summer (presumably Euros) and he has rejected this. Sounds like it will drag on (if it goes ahead) which is a shame as he would have been a good option from the bench on Tuesday.

They won't be paying £200m for a minority stake, if that value from the article is true. The Liebherr's have proven trustworthy til now and especially if they retain some sort of interest you would expect they know what they are doing. But Asian investment in UK football has been disasterous until now so its right to be sceptical. Unless they put significant sums of money in and retain the current leadership structure of the club, then I would be very cautious.

Didn't sound great from Puel post match on VVD. Certainly more than a knock, talking about seeing a specialist and seeing how long he will be out for.

Can't beat that. Everyone earned that but Stephens, Yoshida, Redmond and Romeu were especially excellent. Playing Stephens and getting that kind of reward is what Saints are all about. Cup run has salvaged an average season and hopefully will be the making of Puel at Saints.

Maguire has been getting noticed because he comes forward with the ball and takes shots. Not overly sure he is a great defender and is certainly quite slow. Not sure he suits a team playing a high line like CP does/wants to.

Great news, good player and seems like a really good guy too.

Gabbiadini update from Di Marzio: http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/napoli-southampton-raises-their-bid-for-gabbiadini-contacts-also-proceed-with-borussia-monchengladbach

A few interesting articles on him. Certainly the goal record is a bit of a red herring because he is often used as a sub by Napoli. He goal return when starting is very good albeit with a smaller sample. http://www.italianfootballdaily.com/manolo-gabbiadini-solution-striking-problems/ http://www.thesirenssong.com/platform/amp/calciomercato-napoli-transfer-rumors/2015/1/6/7498409/transfer-scouting-manolo-gabbiadini-forward-new-signing-sampdoria?

Di Marzio update says we want to buy Gabbiadini but not for their asking price which will scupper a deal unless it is lowered. http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/napoli-southampton-insists-on-purchasing-gabbiadini-the-updates Jagielka would be a dire signing IMO, a downgrade on Fonte, older, slower, on a big decline the last 12 months - the same reason he is out of the picture at Everton. Would rather blood Stephens.

Best case scenario is he is fit for Wednesday. Nobody cares about Arsenal in comparison and if he is able to play Saturday then dose him up and get him out there on Wednesday even if he then had to have a couple of weeks off. Reed will be hoping he plays or the Fonte timing looks ludicrously short sighted, especially given a.) West Ham havent got a game til next Wednesday and b.) Fonte would surely have been willing to play this semi final as his bow out game.

Les Reed, Daily Echo, 5th Jan on Fonte: We will bring someone in, there is still plenty of time left this window.

Puel has already said it isn't possible for the same team to play twice in 3 days, so there will be a couple of changes at least regardless of VVD availability. Would hope Jay stays in ahead of Long but would bring Davis in for Hojbjerg if available. Good to keep JWP in following his best performance for a year or so but not if it means him and Clasie together as those two plus Romeu just doesn't work as we lack any mobility from that area. Wonder when we might see Boufal again?

We will obviously get someone in to replace Fonte. Reed said that was a comdition of letting him go and he clearly meant a new player when you listen to the interview Solent posted. Puel is just saying what he needs to in front of the media.

Gardos isn't the answer unless we want to become worse. He should really be loaned out and sold in the summer or sold now.

Our last transfer window that could be considered a success was summer 2014, quite a while ago now.

Its just the same as Lallana. He was so **** lol and we have Tadic.

Seems a few on here will be turning up to the Leicester game in a Saints shirt with Million, 9 on the back. Unless you adequately replace the player then the fee means absolutely nothing to a fan of a PL team. We have money, we need good players and he is a very good player so not sure how people can celebrate a transfer fee?!

Yes, but to just stay up would be quite a drop. Currently teams like Burnley and Bournemouth ahead of us and West Ham who are considered to have had a ****e season. We were bound to be overtaken by Liverpool, Chelsea and probably Everton but if we finish anywhere beneath about 12th then its not a very good season because some pretty mediocre teams who we were miles better than last year will have overtaken us.