Your transfer thoughts so far?

[tajjuk]

Andrea Belotti would be decent. 34 million though last time I checked.

 

He's not going to come to us.

[SuperSAINT]

I'm sure this will be a contentious financial debate.

 

But I'm thinking that with Angus Gunn coming in, that just about makes transfers in & out (from last season to now) *just about* break-even.

[DT]

Can't help be a bit worried about all this excellent activity on players coming in meaning there will be some key outs coming soon. My bet is still Lemina for big bucks, and maybe Bertie

[SuperSAINT]

Can't help be a bit worried about all this excellent activity on players coming in meaning there will be some key outs coming soon. My bet is still Lemina for big bucks, and maybe Bertie

 

Depends what we're doing from here on in. If we have to sell-to-buy, then at least we know where we stand. I'm sure we'd have a bit of extra cash without sales lying around, but that's yet to be seen.

[saint1977]

Can't help be a bit worried about all this excellent activity on players coming in meaning there will be some key outs coming soon. My bet is still Lemina for big bucks, and maybe Bertie

 

Can't see Lemina going DT this summer, maybe next summer though but he'll need a storming season next year first. No-one is going to pay £35-50m for someone who had half-a-dozen good games (at best tbh). Bertrand I thought was a certainty but interest has died down and he seems happier with Huges as manager. Possibly still moving but not the racing certainty it seemed.

 

Clasie, Davis, FF, McQueen/Targett, Stephens/Reed (loan), Hesketh (loan), Boufal all still outgoing I reckon.

[CB Fry]

Can't help be a bit worried about all this excellent activity on players coming in meaning there will be some key outs coming soon. My bet is still Lemina for big bucks

 

No sh it. Its only the 47th time you've said so.

 

He had an incredibly patchy stop-start season and has done absolutely nothing, at all, to justify a "big bucks" move to any blue-chip club. Nobody will want him because he hasn't proved he's worth it.

 

Give up on the paranoia.

[Toadhall Saint]

No sh it. Its only the 47th time you've said so.

 

He had an incredibly patchy stop-start season and has done absolutely nothing, at all, to justify a "big bucks" move to any blue-chip club. Nobody will want him because he hasn't proved he's worth it.

 

Give up on the paranoia.

 

I call it dalek syndrome

[Daft Kerplunk]

A decent/really good centre forward and a starting centre back (Vestergaard if he is coming) and losing FF and Boufal would be decent business. Then there are those not good enough for the squad (most of the players who have come through of late) who need to go out on loan or be sold.

[stu0x]

Why not, he can play the other half.

 

 

Hard to get in to the first team with Mane, Firmino and Salah ahead of you.

Salah has been there one year. Mane has been there two years. Not sure they kept him out of the team a great deal before they were at the club.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Can't help be a bit worried about all this excellent activity on players coming in meaning there will be some key outs coming soon. My bet is still Lemina for big bucks, and maybe Bertie

 

How much have you bet?

Show the betting slip...

[SuperSAINT]

Do we think we'll look to sign another creative-speedy wide player if Boufal goes?

 

Or do we think that the staff will believe that Elyounoussi / Redmond & JWP / Sims is enough?

 

Not really had any credible links for a while.

[stedje]

So far so good, but as many have already pointed out, we need a creative midfielder and a striker. If money is the issue, we have certainly many to sell. We tried to buy Maddison but failed. Is Armstrong a replaicement for him? Hope not. And even tough we have many strikers, they are the same as last season. And how many did they score all together?

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Do we think we'll look to sign another creative-speedy wide player if Boufal goes?

 

Or do we think that the staff will believe that Elyounoussi / Redmond & JWP / Sims is enough?

 

Not really had any credible links for a while.

 

If we persist with the narrow two behind the striker and the width coming from the wing-backs then we may not. In that formation, Armstrong would be considered one of the two to play behind the striker and wingers are not required.

[Gingeletiss]

So far so good, but as many have already pointed out, we need a creative midfielder and a striker. If money is the issue, we have certainly many to sell. We tried to buy Maddison but failed. Is Armstrong a replaicement for him? Hope not. And even tough we have many strikers, they are the same as last season. And how many did they score all together?

 

Sigh! Why do you think we bought Armstrong?, to sit on the bench with JWP? he is the 'attacking' midfielder we have be crying out for these last two years. Pray tell, why have you written him off so readily?

[pimpin4rizeal]

Sigh! Why do you think we bought Armstrong?, to sit on the bench with JWP? he is the 'attacking' midfielder we have be crying out for these last two years. Pray tell, why have you written him off so readily?

 

Isn't Armstrong more likely to play as a box to box centre midfielder ? Looks more like a lemina with goals to me then ultra creative. I'm not sure he goes streight into the side personally, think he could be a squad player to fight for places with lemina hojbjerg and Romeau.

[SuperSAINT]

If we persist with the narrow two behind the striker and the width coming from the wing-backs then we may not. In that formation' date=' Armstrong would be considered one of the two to play behind the striker and wingers are not required.[/quote']

 

I think you're probably right. The lack of creative wide players pretty much stopped after we signed Ely. I think we'll probably go with what we have.

 

A little concerning as we really lack pace up top. Lets see what the rest of the window brings. We might get more info after Boufal departs.

[doddisalegend]

I think you're probably right. The lack of creative wide players pretty much stopped after we signed Ely. I think we'll probably go with what we have.

 

A little concerning as we really lack pace up top. Lets see what the rest of the window brings. We might get more info after Boufal departs.

 

 

Surely Mo has to be quicker than Tadic? Much as I loved Dusan he was painfully slow.

[SuperSAINT]

MARK Hughes admits he is ‘very close’ to having the Saints squad he wants for next season, ahead of taking his summer spending to more than £50m: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/16350154.southampton-very-close-ahead-of-taking-summer-spend-to-51m/

[Dusic]

Definitely need more going forward.

 

Ultimately will just have swapped Tadic (our most reliable creative player) for Moi, who will likely take a while to get used to English football and added Armstrong who is unproven.

 

Wouldn't say that will solve our attacking problems.

 

I think we clearly need a starting quality striker and then if Boufal goes a replacement for him too.

[doddisalegend]

Definitely need more going forward.

 

Ultimately will just have swapped Tadic (our most reliable creative player) for Moi, who will likely take a while to get used to English football and added Armstrong who is unproven.

 

Wouldn't say that will solve our attacking problems.

 

I think we clearly need a starting quality striker and then if Boufal goes a replacement for him too.

 

 

Which we clearly aren't going to get. We could also do with competition for Cedric but the doesn't look like happening either.

 

In the end we have had four poor transfer windows the last two seasons its unrealistic to expect us to repair all the damage in one window. Having said that I'd say this is the most positive transfer window we have had the last two years. Only time will tell if that turns out to be the case.

[SuperSAINT]

Definitely need more going forward.

 

Ultimately will just have swapped Tadic (our most reliable creative player) for Moi, who will likely take a while to get used to English football and added Armstrong who is unproven.

 

Wouldn't say that will solve our attacking problems.

 

I think we clearly need a starting quality striker and then if Boufal goes a replacement for him too.

 

Agree. We will definitely have to sell to finance anymore.

 

Vestergaard will send us £18m over our Van Dijk / Tadic sales cash.

 

I wonder if we consider Armstrong to effectively be our Boufal replacement?

[tajjuk]

Would still like to see us add another pacey wide player, Redmond just doesn't cut it for me.

 

Don't think we need another striker, I reckon with more positive intent and better creativity Austin and Gabbi will score plenty. I feel the whole aura of the team looks more confident and positive.

 

Just think we need some pace.

[SKD]

Redmond has looked okay pre-season (all be it against weak opposition). If he can pull his finger out and improve on the last 2 seasons then maybe we don’t need another wide man (personally I hope we get one)? Easy to forget we have Sims, who even though he is young (and will improve) looks good enough cover - IMO.

 

Depends how Hughes sees Reed. We could possibly keep him as cover for RWB.

 

All in all, I don’t think we’re far off. Maybe 1 more in after Vestergaard.

[doddisalegend]

Redmond has looked okay pre-season (all be it against weak opposition). If he can pull his finger out and improve on the last 2 seasons then maybe we don’t need another wide man (personally I hope we get one)? Easy to forget we have Sims, who even though he is young (and will improve) looks good enough cover - IMO.

 

Depends how Hughes sees Reed. We could possibly keep him as cover for RWB.

 

All in all, I don’t think we’re far off. Maybe 1 more in after Vestergaard.

 

 

Hasn't Redmond been played through the middle as a second striker in the two pre-season games? He looks better there I think.

 

I think we will, based on pre-season and the end of last season, be playing three at the back with wingbacks which does not really require pacey wide men which makes me think Redmond and Mo will be played in behind Austin or Gabbi.

[pimpin4rizeal]

Would still like to see us add another pacey wide player, Redmond just doesn't cut it for me.

 

Don't think we need another striker, I reckon with more positive intent and better creativity Austin and Gabbi will score plenty. I feel the whole aura of the team looks more confident and positive.

 

Just think we need some pace.

 

Agree we really need another attacking wideplayer or creative player, I'm still not sure on this window Gunn Is a backup keeper so doesn't really improve the first team, Armstrongs main position at Celtic was a box to bid midfielder that makes good late runs and can score goals but again we have lemina hojbjerg and romeau so seems more of a squad player unless being used in a attacking role? El younoussi could be very good but if losing tadic and Redmond and only him in I'm not sure that improves the first team much either. Vestergaard does improve us but we could still do with another cb as let's face it all of our cbs were not great last season .

[Smirking_Saint]

Hasn't Redmond been played through the middle as a second striker in the two pre-season games? He looks better there I think.

 

I think we will, based on pre-season and the end of last season, be playing three at the back with wingbacks which does not really require pacey wide men which makes me think Redmond and Mo will be played in behind Austin or Gabbi.

 

Diffucult to properly assess what Hughes will do this year from the pre-season outings in China. He is missing one or two from the squad in some vital CB positions. That said I’d like to see us capitalise more using the natural wingbacks that we have but Im not sure Elyounoussi fits into a 5 atb system effectively and so it points to me like we’ll still to a 4232/433/4321 variant with Romeu filling in between the CB’s in transition.

 

Id of said the squad looks, on paper to be much more balanced than it has been, so long as we avoid OR replace any big outgoings. From last year only Cedric/Bertrand would likely be on any major radars.

 

Id like to see another striker, though I think Austin/Gabbi are good enough should we not secure any of our formost targets, an improvement there will likely be in the region of 20m+ and looking at Carrillo its important to get that right

 

Im excited for the new season though... well... i was excited for last year but lets see how it goes !!

[Lighthouse]

Still need another attacking player IMO.

 

Tadic, Carrillo and (probably) Boofing - Out

Armstrong and Moi - In

 

Our most creative player replaced by an unknown from the Swiss League. 2 non-entities replaced by a guy with mixed reviews in Scotland. Doesn't really scream improvement to me, in an area we were already weak.

[Pamplemousse]

We have a stronger team than last season IMO. The focus has to be on shifting some of the deadwood in the team, and, as others have said, perhaps one more signing (after Vestergaard) would be nice.

[Gingeletiss]

I sit here reading some of these comments, shaking my head. It's like seeing kids in a sweet shop, they have their hands full, but want more and more. In my opinion, we have strengthened, those dissing Armstrong before the nipper has even played for us, amaze me. We have squad players, those bought/being bought, are imo deemed to be first team starters, both Armstrong and Elyounoussi are goal scorers, something we haven't had for two years, yet people still want Davis and Redmond to start, words fail me! We can't be worse than last season, even without these new players, as or woes were down to the manager, not the players.

[Lighthouse]

I sit here reading some of these comments, shaking my head. It's like seeing kids in a sweet shop, they have their hands full, but want more and more. In my opinion, we have strengthened, those dissing Armstrong before the nipper has even played for us, amaze me. We have squad players, those bought/being bought, are imo deemed to be first team starters, both Armstrong and Elyounoussi are goal scorers, something we haven't had for two years, yet people still want Davis and Redmond to start, words fail me! We can't be worse than last season, even without these new players, as or woes were down to the manager, not the players.

 

Our woes were down to a combination of poor managers and players not performing and I'm not sure I've seen anyone wanting Davis and Redmond to start.

 

Also if striking options of Austin, Gabbi, Long and Gallagher is 'having your hands full of sweets,' I dread to think what the bare bones would look like.

[Gingeletiss]

Our woes were down to a combination of poor managers and players not performing and I'm not sure I've seen anyone wanting Davis and Redmond to start.

 

Also if striking options of Austin, Gabbi, Long and Gallagher is 'having your hands full of sweets,' I dread to think what the bare bones would look like.

 

Have you not, peruse the 'next seasons line up' thread then.

[Nordic Saint]

I am pleased to see that the club is making a real effort to overhaul a squad which simply wasn't good enough last season, especially through the spine of the team. A real goalscoring striker to replace Carrillo is the priority now. I look forward to seeing the new players in action in the first few games. I hope they bring some pace to our attack and that we can also defend against it because, as we have seen in the World Cup, fast counterattacks are very much in vogue with coaches now and I expect to see a lot of them in the Pemier League this season.

[tajjuk]

Gunn - potentially an upgrade, I have a feeling by the end of the year this guy could be our No. 1

 

Vestergaard - looks like an upgrade to me, certainly replaces the height and physicality of VVD we lost. I can't see the likes of Giroud or Deeney for example causing us too many problems if Vestergaard is in the team. He will also offer more goal threat in the box from set pieces.

 

Moe - Probably an upgrade, a faster, younger Tadic with more goal threat, who has already caused problems against good teams in his career. Have to remember as well aside the last 8 games last year Tadic has been average at best and consistently missed chances.

 

Armstrong - The sort of player we don't have, a goal scoring mid, at least offers a different option if not necessarily a direct upgrade (we are hardly weak in midfield).

 

On paper one of the best windows in along while for me.

 

Like I said another pacey up front/wide option would make it near perfect, especially if we can shift some deadwood - Long, Boufal, Davis, Forster hopefully freeing up funds/wages in case we need something extra in January.

 

I also feel people are forgetting that we have a manager who is hopefully going to be more positive, seems to have more backing from the players so we should get more out of our existing squad.

 

I also expect Hoedt and Lemina with a year's experience under their belt in the league to be better and more consistent this year.

[kwsaint]

Seems like common sense is starting to prevail at last. Nothing is guaranteed as transfers don't always work out, but the four transfers in all seem attempts to address last seasons shortcomings. Maybe need a striker if we can get someone suitable at a reasonable price. But we were starting to score goals at the end of last season under Hughes.

 

My guess is that we will now start to see some outgoings to reduce the wage bill and get the squad size down - Boufal, Davis, Forster look certain to go. Carillo already gone. Guess one of Bertrand or Targett will go.

[Lighthouse]

Have you not, peruse the 'next seasons line up' thread then.

 

I don't think any of them have Redmond starting ahead of Moi (although a few people have both) and I can only see Davis mentioned once.

[Give it to Ron]

Agree we really need another attacking wideplayer or creative player, I'm still not sure on this window Gunn Is a backup keeper so doesn't really improve the first team, Armstrongs main position at Celtic was a box to bid midfielder that makes good late runs and can score goals but again we have lemina hojbjerg and romeau so seems more of a squad player unless being used in a attacking role? El younoussi could be very good but if losing tadic and Redmond and only him in I'm not sure that improves the first team much either. Vestergaard does improve us but we could still do with another cb as let's face it all of our cbs were not great last season .

If you dont think Gunn improves the first team you have been watching a different keeper than our 6ft 7 windsock !!!

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[angelman]

[ally_uk]

I like how we have hit the ground running and have done our business early. I still think we have some deadwood that needs to be shifted pronto ( Boufal ) would like to see another creative player come in. Strikers I feel we have enough options and should give Sam G a fair chance.

[Saint IQ]

Still don't have a good striker. Thats the glaring area for improvement in the squad.

 

None of the ones we have will get more than 10 goals.

 

If Gabb plays every league game I'd like to think he'd score over 10

[Saint IQ]

Be good if Ajax returned the favour and let us buy Hakim Ziyech as Tadic's replacement and Elyounoussi would be Boufals replacement.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Decent and maybe not finished

[waylander]

Decent and maybe not finished

 

ITK on TUI said 2 more being worked on

[SuperSAINT]

ITK on TUI said 2 more being worked on

 

A real ITK? Or a "look at me, I'm ITK" ITK?

[ALWAYS_SFC]

A real ITK? Or a "look at me, I'm ITK" ITK?

 

We could wait and see...

[SKD]

The Striker issue is a difficult one.

 

Austin and Gabbi are both good enough and wouldn’t want to be 3rd choice but Austin, who’s be my first choice, has obvious injury concerns (and needs to be managed) and gabbi is a bit hit or miss.

 

I wouldn’t be disappointed if we started the season with just them 2, but then we’d be in no better position than the start of last year.

 

A long story short, I wouldn’t get another striker in unless it’s a significant improvement on them 2. Sell Long, keep Gallagher as 3rd choice and pray the first 2 don’t get a long term injury.

 

I’m pretty happy with the look of the current squad. With Boufal, clasie and Forster looking likely to go, we should still have a bit more to spend as well as reducing our wage bill.

[Foxstone]

Certainly a very good window so far, probably our best since 2014.

 

Gunn will be our number 1 keeper in pretty quick time I would suggest, and is a very good capture for us.

Vestergaard should plug those holes in defence where we were weak last year, and it looks as though he has some leadership qualities about him too which are also much needed.

Armstrong looks a steal at £7m, and just the type of player we have been missing since Lallana jumped ship.

Moi looks a very exciting prospect and should provide a productive outlet that will worry defenders as opposed to Boufal for instance.

 

Very pleased so far.

[SKD]

The Striker issue is a difficult one.

 

Austin and Gabbi are both good enough and wouldn’t want to be 3rd choice but Austin, who’s be my first choice, has obvious injury concerns (and needs to be managed) and gabbi is a bit hit or miss.

 

I wouldn’t be disappointed if we started the season with just them 2, but then we’d be in no better position than the start of last year.

 

A long story short, I wouldn’t get another striker in unless it’s a significant improvement on them 2. Sell Long, keep Gallagher as 3rd choice and pray the first 2 don’t get a long term injury.

 

I’m pretty happy with the look of the current squad. With Boufal, clasie and Forster looking likely to go, we should still have a bit more to spend as well as reducing our wage bill.

[S-Clarke]

Be good if Ajax returned the favour and let us buy Hakim Ziyech as Tadic's replacement and Elyounoussi would be Boufals replacement.

 

I think our friend Ziyech is off to Lyon...

[Raging Bull]

The Striker issue is a difficult one.

 

Austin and Gabbi are both good enough and wouldn’t want to be 3rd choice but Austin, who’s be my first choice, has obvious injury concerns (and needs to be managed) and gabbi is a bit hit or miss.

 

I wouldn’t be disappointed if we started the season with just them 2, but then we’d be in no better position than the start of last year.

 

A long story short, I wouldn’t get another striker in unless it’s a significant improvement on them 2. Sell Long, keep Gallagher as 3rd choice and pray the first 2 don’t get a long term injury.

 

I’m pretty happy with the look of the current squad. With Boufal, clasie and Forster looking likely to go, we should still have a bit more to spend as well as reducing our wage bill.

 

The Striker issue is a difficult one.

 

Austin and Gabbi are both good enough and wouldn’t want to be 3rd choice but Austin, who’s be my first choice, has obvious injury concerns (and needs to be managed) and gabbi is a bit hit or miss.

 

I wouldn’t be disappointed if we started the season with just them 2, but then we’d be in no better position than the start of last year.

 

A long story short, I wouldn’t get another striker in unless it’s a significant improvement on them 2. Sell Long, keep Gallagher as 3rd choice and pray the first 2 don’t get a long term injury.

 

I’m pretty happy with the look of the current squad. With Boufal, clasie and Forster looking likely to go, we should still have a bit more to spend as well as reducing our wage bill.

 

Alright SKD, don’t go on about it

[SNSUN]

Personally I think we are 3 players short, another centre back (if we plan on playing 3 centre backs, as Yoshida and Stephens are versatile), another attacking midfield player or winger, and a striker. We can do without the extra centre back but are only two injuries away from a Stephens-Bednarek-Hoedt situation which I would like to see rectified. Even if we plan on using Sims and Hesketh this season, we need another attacking midfielder. I worry about our fire power, although despite our strikers not scoring many between them, I’m more confident they’ll score a few more with decent supply.

 

Outs should be: Boufal, Clasie, Forster, and I suspect McQueen (keeping Targett) and Gallagher (though I’d prefer Long) will be sold. Davis is a possibility but I’d worry we’d then need another Central midfielder.

 

Still work to be done but if Hughes is fairly happy with the squad then in him we trust. If we can get improved performances out of Hoedt, Lemina and Gabbiadini, that’ll be like strengthening the backbone without spending any money!