Summer Transfer Window 2023

[dankiz15]

31 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

These are my thoughts exact thoughts on the situation. The only thing I would add is I’m not confident there is any real intent to spend the money collected other than on cheap loans and low cost purchases. 

 I hope I’m wrong and in the next two weeks we see some quality that turns us into a promotion chasing team. 
 

In reality I see Tella, Adam’s, KWP, ABK and Sulemana getting sold.

That will be well over 200m recovered, investment recovered and a free club.

the hope will be that the young players develop over the next 2/3 years into a team capable of challenging.

 

 

 

Said the same thing on twitter last night. Fully expecting KWP, NT, ABK, CA and KS to get sold but as far as I am concerned, if they aren't in in 100%, get rid! Big wages too are great to get off books! We might not come straight back up, but we will be way more united as a club and better equipped to deal with Premier league if we get back! Brighton business model just works and I can see us copying it down the road, pretty sure the owner doesn't like losing money for fun! Also, think, the replacements and youngsters, Ballard def for one will enjoy the season, who knows, we might be a surprise package. RM will end up with a squad 100% behind him, and that can only be a good thing.

Edited 19 August, 2023 by dankiz15

[northam soul]

Has Downes got the same illness that ABK has now managed to go down with ?

[Sunglasses Ron]

8 hours ago, so22saint said:

Have we been linked with actually buying or loaning anybody?

For what it's worth, I know someone who works as a photographer at the club and he told me things were going to develop very quickly.

Edited 19 August, 2023 by Sunglasses Ron

[coalman]

18 minutes ago, dankiz15 said:

Said the same thing on twitter last night. Fully expecting KWP, NT, ABK, CA and KS to get sold but as far as I am concerned, if they aren't in in 100%, get rid! Big wages too are great to get off books! We might not come straight back up, but we will be way more united as a club and better equipped to deal with Premier league if we get back! Brighton business model just works and I can see us copying it down the road, pretty sure the owner doesn't like losing money for fun! Also, think, the replacements and youngsters, Ballard def for one will enjoy the season, who knows, we might be a surprise package. RM will end up with a squad 100% behind him, and that can only be a good thing.

Of those only KWP, NT and CA are going to affect the team as it stands. Neither KS or ABK have been involved this season. NT moving is a chance for Sam Amo-Ameyaw but does leave us threadbare out wide. KWP leaves us with Bree and threadbare at fullback and CA has looked good when he's come on but the manager seems to prefer AA.

I'm excited to see Ballard get more of a chance this season and we actually have the opportunity to give him time on the pitch without throwing him in at the deep end. Same with Kamari Doyle.

I don't think they're just going to sit on the cash but realistically replacements are going to be central midfield (Downes if that is actually happening), a centre back (though hopefully 2), a fullback (if KWP goes) and a striker. Though even if we got no one we'd still have a squad that is competitive in this division.

If we look back over the last few years we've made some pretty wretched panic buys at the end of transfer windows - Carillo (19m), Onuachu (20m), Lyanco (7m), Diallo (11m) because we missed our primary (and secondary) targets and decided to take a punt. Would rather stick with the squad we've got than do that kind of business at the end of this window. They say we have targets lined up - let's see what happens in the next week or two.

I also remember how many windows it took Hassenhutl to make inroads into the players he'd inherited so we can't expect that to resolve overnight.

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

For what it's worth, I've know someone who works as a photographer at the club and he told me things were going to develop very quickly.

The recruitment have focus, good to have Wilcox on board to see things through a different lens

[hypochondriac]

33 minutes ago, dankiz15 said:

Said the same thing on twitter last night. Fully expecting KWP, NT, ABK, CA and KS to get sold but as far as I am concerned, if they aren't in in 100%, get rid! Big wages too are great to get off books! We might not come straight back up, but we will be way more united as a club and better equipped to deal with Premier league if we get back! Brighton business model just works and I can see us copying it down the road, pretty sure the owner doesn't like losing money for fun! Also, think, the replacements and youngsters, Ballard def for one will enjoy the season, who knows, we might be a surprise package. RM will end up with a squad 100% behind him, and that can only be a good thing.

The club have publically stated that automatic promotion is the aim this season. Subsequently stepping back from that is a downgrade from their stated aims. They've told us that the aim isn't to just be a surprise package but to win the thing. If we don't do what is required in the next two weeks in terms of incomings then that's a betrayal as far as I'm concerned after their previous statements. 

[hypochondriac]

17 minutes ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

For what it's worth, I've know someone who works as a photographer at the club and he told me things were going to develop very quickly.

Does he have a Polaroid? 

[dankiz15]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

The club have publically stated that automatic promotion is the aim this season. Subsequently stepping back from that is a downgrade from their stated aims. They've told us that the aim isn't to just be a surprise package but to win the thing. If we don't do what is required in the next two weeks in terms of incomings then that's a betrayal as far as I'm concerned after their previous statements. 

I agree, but not entirely sure, they expect or expected all the top players to leave. I think it is an ever evolving beast, and RM is spot on when he says the side won't look anything like the SW side at start of September. They will still expect to get promoted especially after replacements come in, but they can't truly know how new side will gel together. Wouldn't see that as betrayal, but get where you are coming from

[hypochondriac]

8 minutes ago, dankiz15 said:

I agree, but not entirely sure, they expect or expected all the top players to leave. I think it is an ever evolving beast, and RM is spot on when he says the side won't look anything like the SW side at start of September. They will still expect to get promoted especially after replacements come in, but they can't truly know how new side will gel together. Wouldn't see that as betrayal, but get where you are coming from

Firstly they have some control over who leaves. They don't have to just allow every single first team player of quality to go. Secondly, if they knew there was a chance they could be in this situation, it was very foolish of them to state it publically at the start of the window that winning the league is the aim. For me, even if we strengthen significantly, if Tella and KWP go then we are harming our chances. 

[egg]

20 minutes ago, Turkish said:

The recruitment have focus, good to have Wilcox on board to see things through a different lens

Absolutely. He's zoomed right in on the issues in the club and is developing a solution. 

[Toussaint]

25 minutes ago, Turkish said:

The recruitment have focus, good to have Wilcox on board to see things through a different lens

Thanks for providing a snapshot of the situation 

[Master Bates]

And now we're moving on to photography puns, ffs I'm gonna snap in a minute 

[East Kent Saint]

Southampton are interested in signing 21-year-old German midfielder Luca Kerber from Saarbrucken. (Mail)

Already posted I now see !

Edited 19 August, 2023 by East Kent Saint

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Thanks for providing a snapshot of the situation 

It’s developing so don’t be concerned about the negatives at the moment 

[Weston Super Saint]

1 minute ago, Master Bates said:

And now we're moving on to photography puns, ffs I'm gonna snap in a minute 

Providing us all with a Kodak moment.

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

Southampton are interested in signing 21-year-old German midfielder Luca Kerber from Saarbrucken. (Mail)

Already posted I now see !

Marquee signing!

[Suhari]

I do wish people would f-stop.

[egg]

I now want us to be linked to a player from Lens for mild comedy value. 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, dankiz15 said:

Said the same thing on twitter last night. Fully expecting KWP, NT, ABK, CA and KS to get sold but as far as I am concerned, if they aren't in in 100%, get rid! Big wages too are great to get off books! We might not come straight back up, but we will be way more united as a club and better equipped to deal with Premier league if we get back! Brighton business model just works and I can see us copying it down the road, pretty sure the owner doesn't like losing money for fun! Also, think, the replacements and youngsters, Ballard def for one will enjoy the season, who knows, we might be a surprise package. RM will end up with a squad 100% behind him, and that can only be a good thing.

The problem with trying to copy Brighton is that their owner is a betting genius who uses certain algorithms from his business to assess players - we don't have access to that,

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

For what it's worth, I know someone who works as a photographer at the club and he told me things were going to develop very quickly.

He needs to stop spreading gossip, focus on his job, pull down the shutters and see the bigger picture - if not he should go and lie down in a dark room.

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

1 hour ago, Sunglasses Ron said:

For what it's worth, I know someone who works as a photographer at the club and he told me things were going to develop very quickly.

Did he mention who was in the frame?

Edited 19 August, 2023 by TheAlehouseBrawlers
Did I really waste one of my 3 posts on that......

[a1ex2001]

16 minutes ago, saintant said:

The problem with trying to copy Brighton is that their owner is a betting genius who uses certain algorithms from his business to assess players - we don't have access to that,

The problem is they got lucky recently as we did for a while when selling all our best players. The luck will run out and they will sign some flops before landing up at the wrong end of the league again.  No club can consistently sell all there best players and replace them.

[hypochondriac]

25 minutes ago, saintant said:

The problem with trying to copy Brighton is that their owner is a betting genius who uses certain algorithms from his business to assess players - we don't have access to that,

That's the kind of thing you hear about now they are successful - like our black box. I wonder how much we will hear about it in a few years when they are battling relegation? 

[Doctoroncall]

2 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

In review at the end of last season there was a need to completely revamp the squad - a bloated squad of mediocre players not suited to the Prem and by inference also not suited to mount a serious challenge for the Championship title in the following season. To bring in new players we had to sell a number of players and this might mean selling the ‘better’ players…i.e. the ones that occupied first team slots in the Prem.

So where are we with two weeks of window left? We’ve got a completely new coaching team. We’ve sold or released a good number of first team players, bringing in an unprecedented amount of money. We’ve brought back loanees in Tella and Stephens - both of whom were thought not to be good enough by previous Managers, but did better in other teams. We’ve signed for free a LB in Manning who immediately gets a start because he’s RM’s ears and eyes in the dressing room. RM has indicated that we’ll be getting Downes as a loan, but that’s yet to materialise and he’s delaying with a sick note story.

Is this a good window so far? Well part of the objective of ridding the club of underperforming players has worked, but the problem is we’re still left with players that contributed to the last 2-3 shit seasons…e.g. Bednarek, Bree, ABK, Perraud, Armstrong, Djenepo, Lyanco etc etc. And we’re still left with the players that we’re not deemed good enough to even feature as first team starters…e.g. Tall Paul, Mara etc. We’re still at a point where there’s talk of our more effective players (KWP, Che, Alcarez and even Tella) being sold.

Have we really moved on with plans to get quality replacements? Emphatically NO not yet, however there’s still time to get business done. Based on previous windows I think there’s every reason for fans to feel nervous and to a certain extent let down by the club…after all relegation has an aftermath which we’re now experiencing. Cannot underestimate the importance of the next two weeks for the club, especially in terms of keeping supporters onside and maintaining 29k through the turnstiles.

A fair summary, although I don’t see the point of being nervous as it’s nothing fans can influence. 
 

You missed Smallbone as a returning loaner, who has performed well so far. 
 

If SR are interested in returning to the PL this season then the next two weeks are going to be huge, both in terms of quality of players coming in and who departs. 

[miserableoldgit]

All these negative comments.....a couple of signings and they will be gone in a flash...

[Doctoroncall]

17 minutes ago, a1ex2001 said:

The problem is they got lucky recently as we did for a while when selling all our best players. The luck will run out and they will sign some flops before landing up at the wrong end of the league again.  No club can consistently sell all there best players and replace them.

Their system is a bit more structured than just having a black box. Their player succession planning is second to none. I don’t know how much trouble they be in if they lost some staff that are involved in the process but the system is pretty slick. 

[Streaky]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Firstly they have some control over who leaves. They don't have to just allow every single first team player of quality to go. Secondly, if they knew there was a chance they could be in this situation, it was very foolish of them to state it publically at the start of the window that winning the league is the aim. For me, even if we strengthen significantly, if Tella and KWP go then we are harming our chances. 

What else should they say, we are aiming to be mid table. We are one of the favourites to go straight back up and rightly so. Player power is everything if someone isn't happy then they are going not much we can do about it.

Relegation means we will be stripped of assets, let's wait and see what replacements we make.

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, Doctoroncall said:

Their system is a bit more structured than just having a black box. Their player succession planning is second to none. I don’t know how much trouble they be in if they lost some staff that are involved in the process but the system is pretty slick. 

It's no different to what we were doing a few years ago. They're just the hip team at the moment. They will slowly be dismantled over a few seasons and end up with a crap team fighting to survive just like we were. 

[hypochondriac]

12 minutes ago, Streaky said:

What else should they say, we are aiming to be mid table. We are one of the favourites to go straight back up and rightly so. Player power is everything if someone isn't happy then they are going not much we can do about it.

Relegation means we will be stripped of assets, let's wait and see what replacements we make.

Absolutely no reason to say that their aim this year is to win the league. They could easily have said something like they know there's a lot to do this summer, that they want to be as successful as possible and that the aim is to go back up as soon as we can. They've made the claim that they want to win the league, but their actions need to match those words and they have less than two weeks. 

Edited 19 August, 2023 by hypochondriac

[egg]

5 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

It's no different to what we were doing a few years ago. They're just the hip team at the moment. They will slowly be dismantled over a few seasons and end up with a crap team fighting to survive just like we were. 

I'm with you to an extent. The difference, I think, is that they have brought in so much money from player sales (almost £250m from Chelsea alone, including the Potter/staff compensation) and reinvested it really well. Had we spent the money from Van Dijk properly, I think we'd be in a much better place right now. What they've done is admirable, and I reckon they've established themselves in the top 10 comfortably, and can push beyond that and become a consistent top 8 club. 

[Hodgey]

To be top 2, even as things stand, we need a better gk and 2* quality big powerful players - one cb and one dm. I’m not convinced we’re looking at any of these positions though. We’ll also need a rb and st if KWP and Che leave (looking likely).

So a lot to do but quite possible if the recruitment team are competent and given money

[hypochondriac]

Just now, egg said:

I'm with you to an extent. The difference, I think, is that they have brought in so much money from player sales (almost £250m from Chelsea alone, including the Potter/staff compensation) and reinvested it really well. Had we spent the money from Van Dijk properly, I think we'd be in a much better place right now. What they've done is admirable, and I reckon they've established themselves in the top 10 comfortably, and can push beyond that and become a consistent top 8 club. 

We had a decade in the top flight. If they can manage the same with similar success then they've done well. 

[SaintsFan86]

 

[egg]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

We had a decade in the top flight. If they can manage the same with similar success then they've done well. 

Their only danger I reckon is poor recruitment - they'll end up with some duds for sure. MacCallister and Caceido will be big misses, and I suspect Estupinan will get picked off soon as well. Credit to them though, they're definitely not content with making up the numbers. 

[hypochondriac]

Just now, egg said:

Their only danger I reckon is poor recruitment - they'll end up with some duds for sure. MacCallister and Caceido will be big misses, and I suspect Estupinan will get picked off soon as well. Credit to them though, they're definitely not content with making up the numbers. 

Neither were we for a long time! The problem they will have is when inevitably two or three of their replacements won't work out then you're fighting an uphill battle because you have less resources to replace them and you can't get rid of the trash. 

[AlexLaw76]

What Brighton are doing is clearly unsustainable. Be interesting to see if they fall like we have.

Ferguson will be gone soon. 

[Smirking_Saint]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Neither were we for a long time! The problem they will have is when inevitably two or three of their replacements won't work out then you're fighting an uphill battle because you have less resources to replace them and you can't get rid of the trash. 

I was talking to a mate tgats a Brentford fan the other day.. and for me its always easier replacing if you’re in the lower levels of the prem, but now, both them and Brighton are trying to stay in the top half, so they’re shopping in a different league, and the amount of ‘good’ players reduce significantly

You’re exactly right, like us the issue is, like the Caicedo fee for example… they may sign 3/4 players but if 2 of them don’t work out its a downward trajectory 

[Smirking_Saint]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What Brighton are doing is clearly unsustainable. Be interesting to see if they fall like we have.

Ferguson will be gone soon. 

It’s unsustainable for any club not backed by a multi billionaire unfortunately

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

I was talking to a mate tgats a Brentford fan the other day.. and for me its always easier replacing if you’re in the lower levels of the prem, but now, both them and Brighton are trying to stay in the top half, so they’re shopping in a different league, and the amount of ‘good’ players reduce significantly

You’re exactly right, like us the issue is, like the Caicedo fee for example… they may sign 3/4 players but if 2 of them don’t work out its a downward trajectory 

Exactly. They have to get the right player every time in order to keep their position. They also don't have time for players with potential to develop and they need to sign players at the same or just below the level of Caicedo who doesn't want to move to the big clubs. With Saudi hoovering up lots of talent, the pool of players is going to be even smaller. 

[manji]

12 hours ago, jamesfp1 said:

Mad that Ballard hasn't been given a proper chance

He will get his chance. It’s a long season.

[gio1saints]

16 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

To be top 2, even as things stand, we need a better gk and 2* quality big powerful players - one cb and one dm. I’m not convinced we’re looking at any of these positions though. We’ll also need a rb and st if KWP and Che leave (looking likely).

So a lot to do but quite possible if the recruitment team are competent and given money

I think SR strategy is NOT.  to recruit what’s traditionally required to get out of the Championship. Because history shows those clubs inevitably get found at in the EPL. 
 

likely means we are looking at promotion yes- but promotion in a way SR calculate will mean we have a better chance of staying up. So do t expect us to steamroller every team. It might take a season to truly get this system for our players ( and support).

sadly, support does not have more than two minutes patience at kick off so it’s an incredibly hard ask. Far easier to boot it long with big guys everywhere. 

[notnowcato]

1 hour ago, a1ex2001 said:

The problem is they got lucky recently as we did for a while when selling all our best players. The luck will run out and they will sign some flops before landing up at the wrong end of the league again.  No club can consistently sell all there best players and replace them.

Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean Brighton can’t be the best at it. Let’s face it they’ve been far more successful than we were during our golden period. 

[Barsiem]

1 minute ago, notnowcato said:

Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean Brighton can’t be the best at it. Let’s face it they’ve been far more successful than we were during our golden period. 

How so? We came 6th twice and got to a league cup final.  They've come 6th once

[Smirking_Saint]

1 minute ago, notnowcato said:

Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean Brighton can’t be the best at it. Let’s face it they’ve been far more successful than we were during our golden period. 

Yeah but they have a lot more consistency than us, we didn’t really have a committed owner… as much as Kat was comfortable sustaining Marcus’ legacy she didn’t really put a great deal of effort into enhancing it

Also as much as everyone hated Les Reed I genuinely think Krueger was the bigger issue, it created an odd power dynamic within which there was no obvious person taking the lead, both wanted the responsibility without accountability

However Brighton have done an exceptional job, they’ve also stood firm on player prices, which has helped reduce risk financially but I do honestly think they’re probably at their glass cieling now

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Yeah but they have a lot more consistency than us, we didn’t really have a committed owner… as much as Kat was comfortable sustaining Marcus’ legacy she didn’t really put a great deal of effort into enhancing it

Also as much as everyone hated Les Reed I genuinely think Krueger was the bigger issue, it created an odd power dynamic within which there was no obvious person taking the lead, both wanted the responsibility without accountability

However Brighton have done an exceptional job, they’ve also stood firm on player prices, which has helped reduce risk financially but I do honestly think they’re probably at their glass cieling now

You cant help believe that if their manager has another good season, he will be in demand

[Dusic]

16 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Exactly. They have to get the right player every time in order to keep their position. They also don't have time for players with potential to develop and they need to sign players at the same or just below the level of Caicedo who doesn't want to move to the big clubs. With Saudi hoovering up lots of talent, the pool of players is going to be even smaller. 

The big differences in Brighton's strategy compared to ours are 1.) Tony Bloom has put in an absolute stack of cash, they haven't needed to sell to buy like we always did. 

2.) Partly as a result of 1.) they have often bought replacements for players a long time before they leave and often have bough multiple prospects to see which turn out well. As an example, Caicedo was bought whilst they still had Bissouma and was loaned out. Ditto Mitoma, Van Hecke etc.

They are very aggressive in recruitment of 18 to 22 yo players and have multiple prospects that are very highly rated, e.g Enciso, Buonanotte, Ferguson, Adringra etc so aren't really in a position where if one guy goes its a huge issue.

They are just about to sign a LB prospect Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors who is very highly rated.

Our use of outgoing loans has been woeful for the last 10 years really (probably Tella aside). Theirs has been very good.

They have also exploited the South American market very well, which few PL teams have been able to. Seems they will be bringing inna few more from there in this window, and as a player going somewhere thats been a proven path, easier to settle etc is a big selling point.

Edited 19 August, 2023 by Dusic

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

How so? We came 6th twice and got to a league cup final.  They've come 6th once

Exactly! In what way have they been more successful? 

[notnowcato]

Brighton’s operation is quite different to how ours was. Many of their players spend a season on loan, mainly in Belgium before being slowly introduced here. We bought “first team” players and many of them were shit. 
Replacing Dan Ashworth is the critical decider for Brighton’s future, that will show in the next season or 2. 

[notnowcato]

10 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

How so? We came 6th twice and got to a league cup final.  They've come 6th once

Depends how you quantify success. Neither of us won anything, placed well in the league, they’ve earned a bucket load more money. Their football style is undoubtedly far superior to anything we achieved. 

[AlexLaw76]

I wonder if they will lose their manager to the 2024 version of Everton?