Dan Sheldon, The Athletic

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Hey! Sorry for not getting back to you until now. Talks took place last year but nothing could be agreed. My understanding is that Southampton are keeping their options open. They haven’t committed to giving him an extension, yet they aren’t ruling it out. I can see sense in keeping Forster at the club and in letting him go. It presents a good opportunity to move on but will they get a better replacement? That’s the key.

Glad to hear someone else likes the idea! It’s very much a commercial decision, but I almost see it as an element of soft power: move into territories you wouldn’t normally operate in, grow the club’s stature and make talented youngsters take note. Lots of avenues to explore in the piece when you consider the above point, whether they are financially beneficial etc.

What do people think about doing a piece looking at the commercial partnerships Saints have been striking overseas with schools/academies? That is something that I’m keen to look into, but would be good to gauge whether that would be of interest to others.

An interview with Matt Crocker has been mentioned a few times, so I will see whether I can get something sorted on that front.

Hey! There is definitely scope for them to look at adding to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s No 10 department. A lot of what they do is likely to be influenced by who moves on this summer. There is undoubtedly going to be interest in some of their top performers (again), so keeping hold of them is essential. But I would personally like Saints to replace Shane Long with another forward & add a No 10. Maybe there is an argument for another CM? I hope any signings they do make don’t get in the way of those performing well in the B team as it would be good to see some of them knocking on the door to play.

Hi there. I answered this question in the Saints vs Norwich channel, but will paste what I said below: I am one of the strange people that doesn't follow a particular team/have any great love for one side. I am a huge fan of football, but I tend to appreciate moments rather than teams. Going into a weekend, the only team I want to win is Southampton. But it is also nice that because I'm not a supporter, I am able to stand back sometimes and not get too high or down depending on their results. However, there have been a couple of games this season - most notably Spurs away - where it was impossible to not leave the stadium over the moon!

Hi there. Yes, both have signed new deals but neither have been announced by the club. For Jack Stephens, I would encourage you to follow the below link, scroll down to Southampton and take notice of the ‘updated registration’. McCarthy should appear on the next list of intermediary transactions when it is released.

Thank you for doing this! I really want this to be an open conversation/a good place for supporters to suggest story ideas etc. I can’t guarantee I will reply to every comment/question, but I will be taking note & replying where I can.

Hey! Haha. I’ve been called lots of things over the last few days so my tin hat is well and truly on. It can go too far at times, but I also know I can’t please everyone in the role I do. It’s part & parcel of the job. Hopefully by being relatively active on here, it keeps a line of communication open & feedback/ideas are always welcome. While I ultimately work for The Athletic, my purpose is to serve the supporters.

Hey, No worries at all. I am keen to communicate with you all as much as possible. I can't be on here all the time, but will be dropping in more often than not. I am also conscious that this topic is about Friday's game against Norwich & that most of my answers haven't been about the match. In terms of other players, one of the more famous ones is James Maddison. He had already visited Staplewood before Leicester blew Saints out of the water with a better offer. Leicester have beaten Saints to the punch in more recent(ish) times, too.

I am pretty sure there is a piece going live on The Athletic tomorrow that looks at every club's stoppages/when they happen/what the players do during them.

Hey! Alex McCarthy signed a new contract last summer. He conducted all the relevant club media at the time he signed it but the announcement got pulled for a reason I do not know. I'm writing about the goalkeepers for a piece that will go live on Wednesday, but it is more focused on Fraser Forster's situation.

Thank you! Good question, and it's one I am often asked. I am one of the strange people that doesn't follow a particular team/have any great love for one side. I am a huge fan of football, but I tend to appreciate moments rather than teams. Going into a weekend, the only team I want to win is Southampton. But it is also nice that because I'm not a supporter, I am able to stand back sometimes and not get too high or down depending on their results. However, there have been a couple of games this season - most notably Spurs away - where it was impossible to not leave the stadium over the moon!

Hey. Thank you for the welcome. I am very much new here.