Summer Transfer Window 2023

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

At last some positive transfer news 😂

At least if we're all pissed off at our demise, we can indulge in a bit of schadenfreude to make us feel better. Please get him Chelsea. 

[Miltonaggro]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

At least if we're all pissed off at our demise, we can indulge in a bit of schadenfreude to make us feel better. Please get him Chelsea. 

Christ yes, all for that! 

[Saint Scott]

Let the bidding war commence! 

Edited 9 August, 2023 by Saint Scott

[skintsaint]

Just now, Saint Scott said:

Let the bidding war commence! 

[SaintLondon]

There are going to be wholesale changes over the next few weeks. Proper stuff. A massive turnaround of playing staff. Strap in. 
 

*so I’ve been told but I’m confident in the source. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

With the timing of the chelsea bid hot on the heels of the livra deal and them agreeing a lesser cut - no smoke without fire I reckon

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

 

JWP jas moved to a club who will finish in the lower half of the league, where he'll be a small fish in a big pond. 

He should have stayed put and helped get Saints back up. He's loved by the fans and has been at the club all his life.

Why stay and be a hero when you can be a bit part player for a poor Premiership team?

Personally I think he's made a poor move. 

He won't be a bit part.

No reason West Ham can't be top half.

West Ham fans will love him too if he is successful.

He doesn't want to play in the championship. He's a Prem player. It's beneath him.

Personally, I think it's a no brainer' move.

Also, if he was on £100k week and cut by 40%, his move has earned him over £6m over the next three years. 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Great reading on the rawk forum as they go into meltdown about the lavia situation...

[Miltonaggro]

11 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Let the bidding war commence! 

It will be Goztepe! 

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, SaintLondon said:

There are going to be wholesale changes over the next few weeks. Proper stuff. A massive turnaround of playing staff. Strap in. 
 

*so I’ve been told but I’m confident in the source. 

I don't think you need a source to know that! Preseason essentially pointless. Potential to lose 

Sulemana 

JWP 

Lavia 

KWP 

Tella 

Smallbone 

Adams 

McCarthy 

Lyanco 

Bree 

Onuachu 

ABK 

Perraud 

Mara

[Chez]

57 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Disappointed. I thought Chelsea would just come in and blow Liverpool out the water with their bid. This doesn't sound like it even meets our £50m requirement. They've let me down.

[Chez]

2 hours ago, Dman said:

Lets not dress it up as anything but that being a shit deal for us, when you consider what we asked for, his contract length and what he was worth to us. 

Seems like five minutes ago since Villa offered £25m and we all laughed. This ain't much more than that. 

...and people on here say there aren't financial reasons for player sales. Deluded. 

[SaintLondon]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I don't think you need a source to know that! Preseason essentially pointless. Potential to lose 

Sulemana 

JWP 

Lavia 

KWP 

Tella 

Smallbone 

Adams 

McCarthy 

Lyanco 

Bree 

Onuachu 

ABK 

Perraud 

Mara

Fair point but from what I’ve been told it’s more that I personally expected. That’s of course open to your own interpretation. 

[Dellman]

34 minutes ago, EBS1980 said:

Would much prefer him to go to Chelsea under Poch then Liverpool, although still think Liverpool will get him.

Chelsea could offer us a decent loan for a season to help too. They have enough players after all. 
 

expect this will get done one way or another by the weekend. 

Poch is the man for him. I may even have Chelsea as my premier team if t hey put one over |L'pool

[Chez]

2 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

I had a look at league one 

Aaron Collins seems like he did well last year. Could he be a second striker if we get a couple? 

Ricardo Santos - cb at Bolton looks like a powerful presence at the back. 

Conor hourihane- bring a bit of experience to the midfield? 

Still need a striker though. 

I really like the look of Aaron Collins. He looked big, strong and brimming with confidence. Some of his assists last year showed a wand of a left foot. Rovers play him out wide at times, so may not quite fit our set up (don't know).Doesn't have real pace and it would be a new level, so a slight gamble. £4m is not a huge fee if our scouts think he can do it in the championship.

[hypochondriac]

Just now, SaintLondon said:

Fair point but from what I’ve been told it’s more that I personally expected. That’s of course open to your own interpretation. 

OK. Are you talking all our better players? Because that would be pretty hard to take. Once Lavia and JWP go we only really have 

ABK 

Alcaraz 

Adams 

KWP 

Sulemana 

Tella 

Who are saleable and we would want to keep. 

[hypochondriac]

Just now, Chez said:

I really like the look of Aaron Collins. He looked big, strong and brimming with confidence. Some of his assists last year showed a wand of a left foot. Rovers play him out wide at times, so may not quite fit our set up (don't know).Doesn't have real pace and it would be a new level, so a slight gamble. £4m is not a huge fee if our scouts think he can do it in the championship.

If we can get rid of Onuachu and sell Adams then we could get someone like Piroe as the marquee signing and Collins to bolster our ranks. I'd be happy with something like that. 

[Lighthouse]

8 minutes ago, Chez said:

Disappointed. I thought Chelsea would just come in and blow Liverpool out the water with their bid. This doesn't sound like it even meets our £50m requirement. They've let me down.

Why would they want to blow it out the water? They know our valuation and that Liverpool aren’t far off, if they’re serious they’ll be in similar territory.

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

Seems like five minutes ago since Villa offered £25m and we all laughed. This ain't much more than that. 

...and people on here say there aren't financial reasons for player sales. Deluded. 

I don’t think anyone has claimed that as such. We need to reduce the wage bill obviously and it was reported by a couple of journalists that we needed a net £100m from sales this window. The point is we don’t have to sell anyone below market value which, generally speaking we haven’t.

[SaintLondon]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

OK. Are you talking all our better players? Because that would be pretty hard to take. Once Lavia and JWP go we only really have 

ABK 

Alcaraz 

Adams 

KWP 

Sulemana 

Tella 

Who are saleable and we would want to keep.

I haven’t been told any specifics but yes.. I’m leaning towards this. Wholesale changes in first XI. I think more players want to leave than we currently know about. Basically all the good ones. Time will tell. This might not be all doom and gloom though and might have its positives but as I say, I’m not claiming to know specifics just general info. 

[Chez]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

OK. Are you talking all our better players? Because that would be pretty hard to take. Once Lavia and JWP go we only really have 

ABK 

Alcaraz 

Adams 

KWP 

Sulemana 

Tella 

Who are saleable and we would want to keep. 

You actually thought we wouldn't be selling these guys? 

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, SaintLondon said:

I haven’t been told any specifics but yes.. I’m leaning towards this. Wholesale changes in first XI. I think more players want to leave than we currently know about. Basically all the good ones. Time will tell. This might not be all doom and gloom though and might have its positives but as I say, I’m not claiming to know specifics just general info. 

Baz?

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

You actually thought we wouldn't be selling these guys? 

I woild be surprised if we sold all of them so late in the window. Would be pretty unprecedented if it did happen I would have thought. All relegated teams manage to hold on to a few of their players for at least a season. 

[Chez]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

If we can get rid of Onuachu and sell Adams then we could get someone like Piroe as the marquee signing and Collins to bolster our ranks. I'd be happy with something like that. 

An Adams 'upgrade' to Piroe seems destined to me. I'm sure this will happen.

I'd love to bring Collins' confidence to our club. Big step up.

A little worried that we lose the Tella/Sulemana pace though. 

[Chez]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

I woild be surprised if we sold all of them so late in the window. Would be pretty unprecedented if it did happen I would have thought. All relegated teams manage to hold on to a few of their players for at least a season. 

I've always thought/said we would lose them all. I still think that. 

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, SaintLondon said:

I haven’t been told any specifics but yes.. I’m leaning towards this. Wholesale changes in first XI. I think more players want to leave than we currently know about. Basically all the good ones. Time will tell. This might not be all doom and gloom though and might have its positives but as I say, I’m not claiming to know specifics just general info. 

I fail to see the positives if literally every decent player from last year leaves. It would essentially make this season a write off. I also don't get why the club would do that. Even if they all want to go, why would we allow every single one of them to leave with a couple of weeks left to source suitable replacements? I could see why quite a number of them would stay but all of them leaving seems unlikely to me because we simply wouldn't be able to adequately replace them in time. 

[Raging Bull]

At this point going for the likes of Grimes and Pirieo (sp) makes a lot of sense. They know the RM system and we’re gonna need players that can understand and get up to speed quickly. 

Edited 9 August, 2023 by Raging Bull

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

I've always thought/said we would lose them all. I still think that. 

We'd be entering new territory for a relegated club in that case. I don't think any club has lost their ten best players before in one window unless they went into administration or something like that. 

[skintsaint]

1 minute ago, Raging Bull said:

At this point going for the likes of Grimes and Pirieo (sp) makes a lot of sense. They know the RM system and we’re gonna need players that can understand and get up to speed quickly. 

Well they did get them to mid table so there is that to look forward to.

[Chez]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

 

I don’t think anyone has claimed that as such. We need to reduce the wage bill obviously and it was reported by a couple of journalists that we needed a net £100m from sales this window. The point is we don’t have to sell anyone below market value which, generally speaking we haven’t.

"We don't need to sell for financial reasons" most certainly has been said on here.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, skintsaint said:

Well they did get them to mid table so there is that to look forward to.

Lavia and JWp saw us to bottom.

[skintsaint]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

Lavia and JWp saw us to bottom.

 

[Roboze]

8 hours ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

I have to ask, if West Ham are a “Noddy club” then what the hell are we currently?

a Shoddy club...

 

[Chez]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Why would they want to blow it out the water? They know our valuation and that Liverpool aren’t far off, if they’re serious they’ll be in similar territory.

I was joking because I predicted/suggested a while back that Chelsea would/could come in with a £60m and blow Liverpool away. If course there is no need to do so.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

2 hours ago, Chez said:

"We don't need to sell for financial reasons" most certainly has been said on here.

The way I see it, the owners consider it  desirable to balance the books as we have lost so much revenue, but if we don't get the right offers by the end of window then ultimately we could cover it and the banks won't be knocking at our door

[Pilchards]

Not posted for a while.

I was laughed at when posting on the 29th of May that every player is free to go if suitable offers come in. (I accidentally said fire sale but corrected  myself straight away)

They wanted a total overhaul of players as the squad was bloated plus many want out. 21 players out was the target back in May!

A couple of weeks from now we will see almost every decent player moving on. The market is finally moving forward as teams seek replacements from the bigger transfers that have happened recently.

Heard we have a few good players coming in but don’t expect to be challenging for promotion this season as this is a longer term plan to regroup for a better chance to stay in the premiership for the nearer future. This is why they went for Russell Martin as there was less expectations from him. I still personally think it’s a shit appointment.

I always knew JWP was going only if a suitable offer came in as he was no longer interested in the championship, would of gone earlier as the agreement in his new contract he signed a few years back was that he could go if a top club made a suitable offer. (100% know this as I have a different contact that knows JWP very well as he sponsors their Portsmouth based team) The last game of last season was suppose to be his farewell but nobody other than WHU wanted him.

Finally I was told just recently that Jason Wilcox is doing a fantastic job and very much has 100% control in everything. My personal fears were Ankerson would never take a step back but it seems Drago has taken more interest in what’s going on as he probably stopped trusting Ankerson with his money.

Wilcox has attracted interest from a  few clubs as they are watching his progress.

Edited 10 August, 2023 by Pilchards

[Ex Lion Tamer]

19 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

Not posted for a while.

I was laughed at when posting on the 29th of May that every player is free to go if suitable offers come in. (I accidentally said fire sale but corrected  myself straight away)

They wanted a total overhaul of players as the squad was bloated plus many want out. 21 players out was the target back in May!

A couple of weeks from now we will see almost every decent player moving on. The market is finally moving forward as teams seek replacements from the bigger transfers that have happened recently.

Heard we have a few good players coming in but don’t expect to be challenging for promotion this season as this is a longer term plan to regroup for a better chance to stay in the premiership for the nearer future. This is why they went for Russell Martin as there was less expectations from him. I still personally think it’s a shit appointment.

I always knew JWP was going only if a suitable offer came in as he was no longer interested in the championship, would of gone earlier as the agreement in his new contract he signed a few years back was that he could go if a top club made a suitable offer. (100% know this as I have a different contact that knows JWP very well as he sponsors their Portsmouth based team) The last game of last season was suppose to be his farewell but nobody other than WHU wanted him.

Finally I was told just recently that Jason Wilcox is doing a fantastic job and very much has 100% control in everything. My personal fears were Ankerson would never take a step back but it seems Drago has taken more interest in what’s going on as he probably never trusted Ankerson.

Wilcox has attracted interest from a  few clubs as they are watching his progress.

I appreciate these sorts of update and take it at face value. What I don't understand is why we would want such huge turnover of the playing squad. It's highly destabilising and surely risky/challenging to get the right replacements in. I accept that it's not worth keeping players who don't want to be here but there must be a core that we could keep

[Pilchards]

6 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

I appreciate these sorts of update and take it at face value. What I don't understand is why we would want such huge turnover of the playing squad. It's highly destabilising and surely risky/challenging to get the right replacements in. I accept that it's not worth keeping players who don't want to be here but there must be a core that we could keep

Because Drago well overspent in trying to keep the club in the premiership.

I expect he wants some of his funds back, simple as that really.

This is second guessing but the likes of replacing JWP with Grimes is something like £90k in wages a WEEK!

I expect the club had also come away from what Southampton FC was all about and that’s giving the youngsters a chance. Hoping personally we give the likes of Ballard and Doyle a chance as they excite me more seeing coming off the bench second half. 

Edited 10 August, 2023 by Pilchards

[goodymatt]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

Not posted for a while.

I was laughed at when posting on the 29th of May that every player is free to go if suitable offers come in. (I accidentally said fire sale but corrected  myself straight away)

They wanted a total overhaul of players as the squad was bloated plus many want out. 21 players out was the target back in May!

A couple of weeks from now we will see almost every decent player moving on. The market is finally moving forward as teams seek replacements from the bigger transfers that have happened recently.

Heard we have a few good players coming in but don’t expect to be challenging for promotion this season as this is a longer term plan to regroup for a better chance to stay in the premiership for the nearer future. This is why they went for Russell Martin as there was less expectations from him. I still personally think it’s a shit appointment.

I always knew JWP was going only if a suitable offer came in as he was no longer interested in the championship, would of gone earlier as the agreement in his new contract he signed a few years back was that he could go if a top club made a suitable offer. (100% know this as I have a different contact that knows JWP very well as he sponsors their Portsmouth based team) The last game of last season was suppose to be his farewell but nobody other than WHU wanted him.

Finally I was told just recently that Jason Wilcox is doing a fantastic job and very much has 100% control in everything. My personal fears were Ankerson would never take a step back but it seems Drago has taken more interest in what’s going on as he probably stopped trusting Ankerson with his money.

Wilcox has attracted interest from a  few clubs as they are watching his progress.

Shifted so far: Caballero, Lis, Salisu, DCC, Tino, Diallo, Prowsey, Elyounoussi, Walcott.

So 12 more: Lavia, KWP, Adams, Sulemana, McCarthy, Perraud, Lyanco, Onuachu, ABK, Tella, Bree, Mara.

It’s basically an entire squad, I just don’t see it. If people are watching Wilcox’s progress, it sounds like all they will see is someone overseeing him solidify Southampton as a bang average championship team, whilst bringing in what must be a record in sales money for the league?

If we kept Tella, KWP (super unlikely) and replaced Adams well, we could be competitive, but kids would be the only squad depth. I just don’t see how you can lose 21 players in one window and have any chance of being successful. Even if most of these players have let us down, it’s just too much change. Coupled with new system and management changes throughout the club.

Don’t know about you guys but I’m starting to feel a bit concerned if this is true.

[Baz Fl]

It’s sure going to be an interesting few weeks of up’s and down’s with players going and hopefully joining. Do you think we have any must keep players?

[CB Fry]

I don't believe for one second that the strategy is regroup and finish mid table this year and try for promotion next year. 

Would be absolutely insane if nothing else. The best season to get promoted is always this season.

Doesn't mean we won't finish 12th but if we do that's a monumental fuck up.

I am expecting some more player departures (people convincing themselves that KWP isn't going just because no rumours are deluded) but I am also expecting us to do the same to other clubs further down the food chain. We've got loads more money than (say) Coventry or Blackburn or Swansea if we want to raid them.

[Fan The Flames]

2 hours ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

I appreciate these sorts of update and take it at face value. What I don't understand is why we would want such huge turnover of the playing squad. It's highly destabilising and surely risky/challenging to get the right replacements in. I accept that it's not worth keeping players who don't want to be here but there must be a core that we could keep

Isn't the large turnover due the the good players wanting to play in the Premier league and us wanting to get rid of the dead wood.

The squad was bloated and badly needed a refresh. 

[AlexLaw76]

If we really have the strongest financial power in the league (courtesy of Smirking and Manji), then we will not be shifting half of the first team and will complement those remaining with top championship players… right?

[Delmary]

6 hours ago, SaintLondon said:

There are going to be wholesale changes over the next few weeks. Proper stuff. A massive turnaround of playing staff. Strap in. 
 

*so I’ve been told but I’m confident in the source. 

It’s exactly what RM has been warning in interviews “The team will look very different at the end of the transfer window.”

[Turkish]

6 hours ago, Raging Bull said:

At this point going for the likes of Grimes and Pirieo (sp) makes a lot of sense. They know the RM system and we’re gonna need players that can understand and get up to speed quickly. 

Swanhampton or Southsea? 🤔

[wild-saint]

3 minutes ago, Delmary said:

It’s exactly what RM has been warning in interviews “The team will look very different at the end of the transfer window.”

Different as In a lot more shit Than it is now is what he means. 

[Streaky]

6 hours ago, SaintLondon said:

There are going to be wholesale changes over the next few weeks. Proper stuff. A massive turnaround of playing staff. Strap in. 
 

*so I’ve been told but I’m confident in the source. 

In other news water is wet 

[obelisk]

Just baffles me that that Saints had so many high value Premiership players in the squad last year that they finished well adrift at the bottom. 🤨

[HnycS]

2 hours ago, Baz Fl said:

It’s sure going to be an interesting few weeks of up’s and down’s with players going and hopefully joining. Do you think we have any must keep players?

Based on the SW game yes, KWP, Tella, Alcarez & Manning are must keeps, of those a maximum of two will stay if Saints are lucky . In the SW game there were also some should keeps Edozie, JS, JB, Adams and Smallbone, also from the injured list ABK and Sulemana. Of the should keeps I doubt more than  50% will stay and based on the Gillingham game Saints should keep the U21's.

Which leads to about 5-6 more outgoing and I expect only 3 incoming to reduce the playing squad, plus however many of the players from the Gillingham game can be offloaded. Maybe Saints should have Nathan Redmond speak to the un-sellable players from the Gillingham game about a viable way back to the Premier League 😀. Good luck Nathan, I may designate Burnley as my Premier League team just because of the fine example you have set, and I am a gluten for punishment. Could watching Burnley defend for survival before Dhyce gets the sack be worse than watching every Saints game last season, it is a really tough call for sure!

Edited 10 August, 2023 by HnycS
Spelling

[HnycS]

45 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I don't believe for one second that the strategy is regroup and finish mid table this year and try for promotion next year. 

Would be absolutely insane if nothing else. The best season to get promoted is always this season.

Doesn't mean we won't finish 12th but if we do that's a monumental fuck up.

I am expecting some more player departures (people convincing themselves that KWP isn't going just because no rumours are deluded) but I am also expecting us to do the same to other clubs further down the food chain. We've got loads more money than (say) Coventry or Blackburn or Swansea if we want to raid them.

Yep the stats back this up if teams do not get back the first season the stay extends to 4-5 seasons on average if I recall correctly, and some way longer to infinity and beyond!

[BotleySaint]

6 minutes ago, obelisk said:

Just baffles me that that Saints had so many high value Premiership players in the squad last year that they finished well adrift at the bottom. 🤨

Nathan Jones. Ruben Selles. 

Still confused? 😉