Saints Transfers Thread - Deadline Day

[Saint Garrett]

We've replaced Wanyama with Hojbjerg. It isn't like for like but he looks a very good player, with passing and dribbling skills Wanyama can only dream of.

 

We have no reason to sell Fonte unless it suits us, I don't know why anyone is fretting about this. We hold all the aces. He is contracted here for the rest of his Premier League career.

 

So Redmond isn't as good as Mané, he was still one of Norwich's better players. There is nothing about our club that a neutral would look at and think 'relegation candidate'. From the stadium, sate of the art training facilities and boardroom all the way down to the youth team.

 

Fonte - I agree with, but the club has shown it will happily sell players.

Redmond - one of Norwich's better players? I like him, but he wasn't even in their team the majority of the season.

Hojbjerg isn't a replacement for Wanyama, Romeu is Wanyama's replacement, who isn't good enough defensively to protect our already shaky back four.

 

Again, I don't think we should or will be in a relegation fight, but I don't see any point in gambling. We lost a lot of goals and creativity last season by losing Mane and Pelle, Redmond and Austin aren't going to have the same impact. I'd say it's fine having those up top trying to nick a goal, if you know we've got a very strong defensive unit, but I don't see us keeping as many clean sheets this season compared to the previous few years.

[Saints1976]

One more in by the end of the month, that's crap, it's all about how much profit ours owners can make it's clear, buy cheap, get them on a big contract and sell to the highest bidder. We need to push on, never mind mocking glass ceilings being shattered, here's it's more akin to the sound of a broken bottle. We're still behaving like a feeder club despite having mega rich owners, which is disappointing to say the least.

[shurlock]

A lot of fans think it's just us that let's players go.

 

It isn't. Over the last few years we have just been the best at taking kids or younger players for reasonable money and turning them into 20 -30 million pound players. They then go on up the line. OK Clyne and VW were different as we didn't get the full value due to their contract situation - which they wouldn't sign.

Other teams like Stoke, Palace, West Ham etc haven't sold players like that, because frankly they never had any.

Had the top 5 clubs come in for any of their players then they would have gone the same way ours did.

 

Will be interesting to see how sustainable that business model is. We benefitted from a one-off in academy talent while the Manés of this world are still the exception rather than the rule. I can see VVD going for big money, though the going rate isnt the same as it is for attackers. Otherwise most of our players are likely to depreciate or hold their value rather than appreciate.

[maxi_sopez]

Just be nice for us not to see 3-5 first team players leaving every summer. Let alone our managers

 

No other club around us does that

 

I think this is a fair view, and sums up what a lot of fans think. No other clubs seems to go through this kind of overhaul each summer, which as fans make it even more frustrating.

 

Although some of the players in the Arsenal-Liverpool game had to be sold, it was galling watching so many ex players score. Added the bringing in of a manager no one knows much about and signings that have been good but not exactly exciting, I can understand why people feel frustrated.

[angelman]

Sure, but you don't address how you keep players here (against their will) nor how we attract them in the first place.

[ashnats]

Genuine question - to those who are angry/upset/annoyed at Saints at the minute, who think we are making terrible mistakes and continually letting them down, and have no ambition etc.etc.

 

Have you considered supporting a different team? Man City for example, or Man Utd? They show ambition and back it up with marquee signings every year. You might be a lot happier with one of those teams. I'm not having a go, just a genuine suggestion - it seems like Saints might not be the best club for you to support?

[Lighthouse]

Fonte - I agree with, but the club has shown it will happily sell players.

Redmond - one of Norwich's better players? I like him, but he wasn't even in their team the majority of the season.

Hojbjerg isn't a replacement for Wanyama, Romeu is Wanyama's replacement, who isn't good enough defensively to protect our already shaky back four.

 

Again, I don't think we should or will be in a relegation fight, but I don't see any point in gambling. We lost a lot of goals and creativity last season by losing Mane and Pelle, Redmond and Austin aren't going to have the same impact. I'd say it's fine having those up top trying to nick a goal, if you know we've got a very strong defensive unit, but I don't see us keeping as many clean sheets this season compared to the previous few years.

 

Happily? we sell them because we don't really have a choice. If we'd held on to them we would be well over £100m poorer by now and have a badly motivated squad of players who didn't want to be here. Even so, we held on to Morgan and Victor longer than they wanted, so we aren't exactly a soft touch.

 

How is are back 4 shaky? Virgil, Forster, Bertrand and Fonte are all top draw. Pied, Yoshi, Targett and Cédric are perfectly fine too.

 

If you see Romeu as VWs replacement then Hojbjerg is a 'bonus' signing and not replacing anyone, which means we've gained some excellent depth to our midfield.

[Le Timmier]

Redmond - one of Norwich's better players? I like him, but he wasn't even in their team the majority of the season.

 

I'm not claiming Redmond will adequately replace Mane, but my god it's like groundhog day with this. How many time does this have to be disproved before people stop claiming it?!

 

Only 6 of Norwich's first team squad made more league starts than Redmond (24) last season. He also made 11 substitute appearances.

[ashnats]

hmmm. that sounds like a comment from an 'expert' to me. we don't believe in them anymore. what you are supposed to do is perpetuate a myth, repeat ad nauseum, and then it can be used to back up your argument however you like.

[trousers]

Just be nice for us not to see 3-5 first team players leaving every summer. Let alone our managers

 

No other club around us does that

 

I think this is a fair view, and sums up what a lot of fans think. No other clubs seems to go through this kind of overhaul each summer, which as fans make it even more frustrating.

 

The reason we (seemingly) experience this more than other clubs is because we are better at them at taking raw or lapsed talent and turning them into top class players.

 

That's something to be proud and happy about rather than frustrated or disappointed.

 

The day I'll start to get frustrated is when the player turnover stops...

[nta786]

The reason we (seemingly) experience this more than other clubs is because we are better at them at taking raw or lapsed talent and turning them into top class players.

 

That's something to be proud and happy about rather than frustrated or disappointed.

 

The day I'll start to get frustrated is when the player turnover stops...

 

 

that would be because the players we have bought are sh*te though.

 

I wonder how many of us would be spouting the cr*p we are IF Pellegrini was our manager right now.

 

Only because Puel is an unknown quantity a lot of us have doubts

[Appy]

The reason we (seemingly) experience this more than other clubs is because we are better at them at taking raw or lapsed talent and turning them into top class players.

 

That's something to be proud and happy about rather than frustrated or disappointed.

 

The day I'll start to get frustrated is when the player turnover stops...

 

Losing our best players every year isn't anything to be happy about, that's nonsense.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

The reason we (seemingly) experience this more than other clubs is because we are better at them at taking raw or lapsed talent and turning them into top class players.

 

That's something to be proud and happy about rather than frustrated or disappointed.

 

The day I'll start to get frustrated is when the player turnover stops...

 

I`m really frustrated as we have`nt won a game yet....how much longer can it go on....whats is the manager up to......he`s clueless.........he will be gone by friday i reckon

 

 

 

 

 

[trousers]

Losing our best players every year isn't anything to be happy about, that's nonsense.

 

We keep some of our 'best' players (e.g. VvD, Forster, Tadic, Long, Davis, Bertrand), we lose some of our 'best' players (e.g. Mane, Pelle, Wanyama), we buy new potential 'best' players (e.g. Hojbjerg, Redmond, a.n.other tbc). Long may it continue.

Edited 16 August, 2016 by trousers

[meatball]

You say that but we finished 6th last year. We should learn to hold firmer when we get offers. It seems to be the case that every offer that we receive we accept, or even if we don't accept the first one, you know they're eventually going to go. It's almost like we advertise it.

 

There is no excuse to want a negative net spend with the amount of money in the premier league. If Katherina wants to look after the asset, then she needs to make sure we're not in danger of relegation. At the moment we are....a few decent signings and we could be a top table side, it just doesn't help when you have to rebuild the club every summer.

 

Are you joking? VVD, Hojberg, Tadic, Forster, Bertrand, Davis, players like this are not in a team in danger of relegation, save for some freak bad luck. Get a grip.

 

 

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[Lighthouse]

Losing our best players every year isn't anything to be happy about, that's nonsense.

 

So you'd rather we just had players like Callum McManaman and Ben Watson, so we could keep them for ever and no big clubs would ever steal them?

[farawaysaint]

Are you joking? VVD, Hojberg, Tadic, Forster, Bertrand, Davis, players like this are not in a team in danger of relegation, save for some freak bad luck. Get a grip.

 

 

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In his defence (not that I agree) there is invariably a team who believes that "with the players we have we are far too good to be relegated."

[Mowgli]

For 7 years now, people come on here at the beginning of the season and predict doom and gloom. For 7 years we have shown improvement. I suppose eventually the doom mongers will be proved right - it's a statistical certainty. My only real concern is that people actually seem to get off being negative.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

For 7 years now, people come on here at the beginning of the season and predict doom and gloom. For 7 years we have shown improvement. I suppose eventually the doom mongers will be proved right - it's a statistical certainty. My only real concern is that people actually seem to get off being negative.

 

People predict the world is going to end and one day they will be right....

[meatball]

In his defence (not that I agree) there is invariably a team who believes that "with the players we have we are far too good to be relegated."

 

True, most thought that about Newcastle. I'm not saying we can't get relegated with this team, what I'm saying is the suggestion that this team is in danger of relegation is silly.

 

 

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[Lighthouse]

In his defence (not that I agree) there is invariably a team who believes that "with the players we have we are far too good to be relegated."

 

Yes but they almost always involve people like Mike Ashley, Schteve McLaren, Rupert Lowe and Steve Wigley. Even the Newcastle and Saints squads which went down were far weaker than ours is now.

[Baird of the land]

One more in by the end of the month, that's crap, it's all about how much profit ours owners can make it's clear, buy cheap, get them on a big contract and sell to the highest bidder. We need to push on, never mind mocking glass ceilings being shattered, here's it's more akin to the sound of a broken bottle. We're still behaving like a feeder club despite having mega rich owners, which is disappointing to say the least.

 

One more quality signing if we don't lose anyone is fine. At the weekend we had a strong bench(Mccarthy, Pied, Fonte, Clasie, Hojberg, Austin, Jrod), that's with the likes of Bertrand/Gardos out injured and ignoring the academy prospects. Signing players just to clutter the place up seems nutty imo.

 

Sustainability is obviously a dirty word to you. Most of our buys i wouldn't consider cheap(10+m). Because we invest in talented young players, we're left in a position where when some of those players don't want to sign contract extensions after they've proved themselves and are being targetted by much bigger clubs. There's not really much the club can do but get the best fee possible before their contracts wind down and we get nothing. There are plenty who have signed new contracts this summer who we haven't sold who no doubt we could if the club was pursuing the agenda you claim.

 

You seem to have a distorted view of our owners financial capabilities imo.

[Appy]

So you'd rather we just had players like Callum McManaman and Ben Watson, so we could keep them for ever and no big clubs would ever steal them?

 

No I'd rather we were kept the players that actually played for us, lose one or two for sure but the rate we lose players is crazy.

[SO16_Saint]

I thought this was a transfer rumour thread?

[verlaine1979]

Don't lose anyone else and plonk £10-15m on a genuine attacking midfielder to replace Davis/JWP in the first XI and it will have been a perfectly reasonable window.

[eddie]

For 7 years now, people come on here at the beginning of the season and predict doom and gloom. For 7 years we have shown improvement. I suppose eventually the doom mongers will be proved right - it's a statistical certainty. My only real concern is that people actually seem to get off being negative.

 

It wasn't all bad in the championship and when we got promoted from League 1. Some funny away days and fairly down to earth supporters. Few nutters but arguably beats the ridiculous prices of Emirates or the like. At least we put a few goals past teams, had players coming in every summer and were on the rise.

 

I'm not saying it's not nice to be 6th in premier league, its fantastic and a great period. but let's not act like League 1 and the Championship weren't a lot of fun. I mean, rather not go into administration again.

 

My point is that just because we're the highest league position ever in the premier league doesn't mean that it's the highest point in the clubs history.

[egg]

You lot should read some of the ****** you post. Anyone would think that the world is about to end.

 

We've lost a few players, that's inevitable. We still have the nucleus of a good squad and the window is still open.

 

We've also lost a manager but replaced him with someone who has a decent enough record.

 

Sadly the mood on here reflects the mood on Saturday. Our fan base has become spoilt, expectant and sulky. We ain't Barcelona or even Spurs. We're a recently ish promoted who's punched above our weight for the last few years. Anyone with half a brain should realise that we won't finish top 6 or above this season.

 

The board haven't let us down since the takeover. I for one am confident that they won't let us down now and I'm looking forward to the season ahead whatever happens during the rest of the window.

[Griffo]

First time in a while I've found myself questioning the club. I'm never normally pessimistic but I think it takes someone extremely positive to not see that this summer has been sh*t. We need to spend more money as we are significantly weaker than last season. Not asking for us to spend huge amounts but I think it's realistic to expect us to spend what we have brought in from transfer fees at the very minimum.

[doddisalegend]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, isn't it pal

 

if you're lucky maybe you'll find out one day buddy

[ALWAYS_SFC]

You lot should read some of the ****** you post. Anyone would think that the world is about to end.

 

We've lost a few players, that's inevitable. We still have the nucleus of a good squad and the window is still open.

 

We've also lost a manager but replaced him with someone who has a decent enough record.

 

Sadly the mood on here reflects the mood on Saturday. Our fan base has become spoilt, expectant and sulky. We ain't Barcelona or even Spurs. We're a recently ish promoted who's punched above our weight for the last few years. Anyone with half a brain should realise that we won't finish top 6 or above this season.

 

The board haven't let us down since the takeover. I for one am confident that they won't let us down now and I'm looking forward to the season ahead whatever happens during the rest of the window.

 

This, but sadly it won`t matter how many times this sort of post is made.....some just won`t or don`t want to get it... they love a good wallow in imaginary doom

[saints1988]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2130[/ATTACH]

 

Perhaps this is why it went quite Thursday..........

[Saint Albert]

I like the idea of Saints being competitive without throwing themselves off a financial abyss. It does not seem like that long ago that every year was a fight to avoid relegation. Some of those seasons were genuinely stressful. Now we tend to win more games than we lose, and we are sensible about it. We will never be another Man U or Man City, but we are a sensibly run club with some really great players. The last few seasons have provided some great memories for me.

[MOSaint]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2130[/ATTACH]

 

Perhaps this is why it went quite Thursday..........

 

I doubt it, most reports about Tello said he heavily favoured returning to Fiorentina.. The mystery man Guan has been hinting at is meant to be keen to join us.

[OldNick]

You lot should read some of the ****** you post. Anyone would think that the world is about to end.

 

We've lost a few players, that's inevitable. We still have the nucleus of a good squad and the window is still open.

 

We've also lost a manager but replaced him with someone who has a decent enough record.

 

Sadly the mood on here reflects the mood on Saturday. Our fan base has become spoilt, expectant and sulky. We ain't Barcelona or even Spurs. We're a recently ish promoted who's punched above our weight for the last few years. Anyone with half a brain should realise that we won't finish top 6 or above this season.

 

The board haven't let us down since the takeover. I for one am confident that they won't let us down now and I'm looking forward to the season ahead whatever happens during the rest of the window.

I dont know how old you are, but all this punching above our weight and only just been promoted stuff does my head in.

There was life before the PL and we were seen as a side that was bigish and many fans favourite 2nd team.

We were in the top flight for 27 years on the trot before we had a blip. I have seen Man Utd, Chelsea , Man City relegated at least once and just before I was watching football Liverpool were in the old Division 2 when Shankley took over.

Therefore my view of Saints is a lot higher than perhaps yours and so I am not quite so patient and forgiving

[100%Red&White]

We keep some of our 'best' players (e.g. VvD, Forster, Tadic, Long, Davis, Bertrand)

 

I think this time next year we'll probably be mourning the loss of 2-3 of those names, and if Pierre-Emile Højbjerg lives up to expectation, make that 3-4. Maybe it's an age thing but I accept, and now, even expect it. Some cheering their names now will no doubt be booing those "well-they-weren't-that-good-anyway-mercenaries" in 12 months.

 

Along with several others, we've got a place in the football pyramid that means we'll occasionally compete with the biggest but we won't be able to sustain it because if the big 6 or 7 clubs want your best players they'll have them. Everton fought off the big boys last year for Stones (like we have done with Schneiderlan, Wanyama) but 12 months on he's gone and likely to also lose Lukaku, this from a bigger club than us with a "£100m" warchest burning a hole in their pocket. We're not a small club but we're not a big club either, we fall in that next group trying to intrude on the top 6 with occasional success.

 

Unless they've been right ****s I have no desire to barrack ex-players or managers for leaving us for bigger clubs, I think the last time I booed anyone was Branfoot, now he was a ****!

[Toadhall Saint]

Don't lose anyone else and plonk £10-15m on a genuine attacking midfielder to replace Davis/JWP in the first XI and it will have been a perfectly reasonable window.

 

I think that's how most reasonable fans think - you can debate how much and position but overall you are right imo

[OldNick]

I think this time next year we'll probably be mourning the loss of 2-3 of those names, and if Pierre-Emile Højbjerg lives up to expectation, make that 3-4. Maybe it's an age thing but I accept, and now, even expect it. Some cheering their names now will no doubt be booing those "well-they-weren't-that-good-anyway-mercenaries" in 12 months.

 

Along with several others, we've got a place in the football pyramid that means we'll occasionally compete with the biggest but we won't be able to sustain it because if the big 6 or 7 clubs want your best players they'll have them. Everton fought off the big boys last year for Stones (like we have done with Schneiderlan, Wanyama) but 12 months on he's gone and likely to also lose Lukaku, this from a bigger club than us with a "£100m" warchest burning a hole in their pocket. We're not a small club but we're not a big club either, we fall in that next group trying to intrude on the top 6 with occasional success.

 

Unless they've been right ****s I have no desire to barrack ex-players or managers for leaving us for bigger clubs, I think the last time I booed anyone was Branfoot, now he was a ****!

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is a bit of a mystery to me. Why would Bayern let such a talent go, unless there is some kind of big sell on clause?

[jamesfp1]

Any transfer rumours?

[OldNick]

Any transfer rumours?

dont be ridiculous this is SFC, lol

[Toadhall Saint]

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is a bit of a mystery to me. Why would Bayern let such a talent go, unless there is some kind of big sell on clause?

 

Because they can. He wasn't getting near their first team and wanted first team football. Just run of the mill to a side like Bayern (not the player the transfer).

[Chris27687]

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is a bit of a mystery to me. Why would Bayern let such a talent go, unless there is some kind of big sell on clause?

 

Renato Sanchez.

[BILLY]

This!

 

I dont know how old you are, but all this punching above our weight and only just been promoted stuff does my head in.

There was life before the PL and we were seen as a side that was bigish and many fans favourite 2nd team.

We were in the top flight for 27 years on the trot before we had a blip. I have seen Man Utd, Chelsea , Man City relegated at least once and just before I was watching football Liverpool were in the old Division 2 when Shankley took over.

Therefore my view of Saints is a lot higher than perhaps yours and so I am not quite so patient and forgiving

 

totally agree! It is early days but we do really need to re-invest in this team. We're not just little Southampton!

[100%Red&White]

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is a bit of a mystery to me. Why would Bayern let such a talent go, unless there is some kind of big sell on clause?

 

Time will no doubt tell but anything I've seen of him he just looks such an accomplished player at 21. Maybe his route through at Bayern was just blocked and a gamble on their part to sell him. Famous last words and all that, but with years ahead of him, I can only see him getting better.

[Dazza82]

 

Puts it to bed unlike Fonte

[Smirking_Saint]

We aren't in danger of relegation. Every year some absolute garbage manages to avoid the drop. Look at Sundeland and Bompey last year. If you think teams like Burnley, West Brom, Bournemouth and Hull are better than us because we've lost Mané, you need your head looking at.

 

I dont particularly think we are either, but that sort of attitude is what has taken the likes of Newcastle, Leeds, Middlesborough etc down in the past, all big clubs in their day, all fell out of the Premier League and took a while to recover.

 

Its not about spending money, or else QPR would have easily stayed up. It is staying at the required level to compete, and I would say we are in danger of turning the wrong way. Of course we are climbing the mountain right now, and its a real struggle for a club our size to keep up with those at the top but we only need to lose our footing and it can all come tumbling down.

 

Our transfer policy, for instance, has been excellent so far, but it only takes a couple of bad replacements either in management or playing staff to have a bad effect on things.

 

I don't see why or how we 'have' to lose 3-5 top players every year, its frankly embarrassing. Of course we have done excellent to nurture them into the talents they are but right now Im looking at this and thinking is this the first year we have lost control ? For instance, we tookour time replacing Koeman, and now it seems we are struggling to replace those we have lost. And if we are worried about the playing staff, what do the rest of the players think ?

 

They aren't fools, and they'll look after themselves, if they see the good old ship Saints sailing into unsteady waters they will do their best to get off and the management so far has done nothing to prove they can handle an exodus, or atleast prevent one.

 

I do wonder sometimes quite why, despite our upward mobility and so called 'southampton happy atmosphere' we are supposed to have still results in an inability to hold on to our brightest talents for more than a year or two.

[Batman]

 

Puts it to bed unlike Fonte

 

Exactly

[Le Timmier]

I dont know how old you are, but all this punching above our weight and only just been promoted stuff does my head in.

There was life before the PL and we were seen as a side that was bigish and many fans favourite 2nd team.

We were in the top flight for 27 years on the trot before we had a blip. I have seen Man Utd, Chelsea , Man City relegated at least once and just before I was watching football Liverpool were in the old Division 2 when Shankley took over.

Therefore my view of Saints is a lot higher than perhaps yours and so I am not quite so patient and forgiving

 

I remember those days too.

 

How many times in those 27 years did we finish in the top half?

[Wrensup]

Tello to Fiorentina is official.

[OldNick]

I remember those days too.

 

How many times in those 27 years did we finish in the top half?

I dont know is the answer. I do know we were an entertaining club for many seasons and finished 2nd in that time and so exceeded the present regime.

[Hobbit73]

Fonte - I agree with, but the club has shown it will happily sell players.

Redmond - one of Norwich's better players? I like him, but he wasn't even in their team the majority of the season.

Hojbjerg isn't a replacement for Wanyama, Romeu is Wanyama's replacement, who isn't good enough defensively to protect our already shaky back four.

 

Again, I don't think we should or will be in a relegation fight, but I don't see any point in gambling. We lost a lot of goals and creativity last season by losing Mane and Pelle, Redmond and Austin aren't going to have the same impact. I'd say it's fine having those up top trying to nick a goal, if you know we've got a very strong defensive unit, but I don't see us keeping as many clean sheets this season compared to the previous few years.

 

Just wanted to use this post as a starting point, especially in regards the quality of our current midfield set up. Although I'm not too thrilled with overall current teams performance (admittedly it's still early stages of the new season) and I'm not biggest fan of the new "diamond" tactics, I still think that our current midfield (Romeu, Hojbjerg, Clasie, Davies, JWP (with the emphasis on the first three)) stacks up better than our previous seasons line ups. Personally, I think that VW influence and performance has been overrated, as his impact was fairly straight forward without too much upside apart from known values.

In other words, with a right set up and tactics (I don't believe that we are that strong, to be too rigid in tactical approach to the match, depending on the opponents we are facing on the day we should adjust our rotation and set up accordingly) we should be able to achieve same or the better performance from our midfielders, compared to previous seasons. Admittedly, we are still a couple players short in other areas, but those deficiencies can still be rectified. In other words, it's not all doom and gloom, however it's still depends on the CP to properly utilise our current roster and add more strength in certain areas, by looking into bringing more players before the end of transfer deadline.

 

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