Carlos Alcaraz

[Master Bates]

Alcaraz apparently all done and dusted

[verlaine1979]

Hopefully Alcaraz is the creativity and drive through central midfield that we've badly needed since... a depressingly long time ago. It's a gamble, but we can't afford south american talent that's already proven in Europe, so if we want those gems we have to find them ourselves.

Sign a striker, and suddenly the team looks well balanced for 4-2-3-1 

 

[Appy]

Anyone done a tennis joke yet? 
 

Or am I too late? 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, goodymatt said:

 

Looks like that tweet further up was right

[ecurnew02]

So if he’s arriving tomorrow then he’s not one of the 2 players there today - starting to think that’s a BS rumour 

[Nolan]

So we're buying in compatriots.

Orsic (Caleta Car)

Alcaraz (Caballero)

 

Easy for assimilation into the squad.

Edited 9 January, 2023 by Nolan

[Wurzel]

2 minutes ago, Appy said:

Anyone done a tennis joke yet? 
 

Or am I too late? 

Arrives tomorrow. So he's not one of the two already down on the South Coast then ?

[SaintTex]

7 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

Hopefully Alcaraz is the creativity and drive through central midfield that we've badly needed since... a depressingly long time ago. It's a gamble, but we can't afford south american talent that's already proven in Europe, so if we want those gems we have to find them ourselves.

Sign a striker, and suddenly the team looks well balanced for 4-2-3-1 

 

his YouTube clips imply he is forward thinking in the middle of the pitch, but clips only show 99.5% of one's play.

I am going to choose to keep a positive mindset, which only seems to occur during transfer windows lately when i look back over the last year. - On pitch performance, however, has created a different mindset altogether.

Edited 9 January, 2023 by SaintTex

[Badger]

22 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

I don’t see how he’s the tough tackling midfielder we need. i’ve heard he’s aggressive but from the clips he seems nothing more than a flair luxury player. 

Think I read somewhere he can be a headcase, and his antics sparked a massive brawl in one match. 

Which is great, I've always wanted a return to the Alehouse days. 

[AlexLaw76]

Signing before the city onslaught - good thinking

[DT]

6 minutes ago, Nolan said:

So we're buying in compatriots.

Orsic (Caleta Car)

Alcaraz (Caballero)

 

Easy for assimilation into the squad.

KWP's mate Harry Kane next

[Bad Wolf]

Arrives in England tomorrow - SSN implied that 2 signings were already in Southampton. Could we see three this week?!

[Toadhall Saint]

3 minutes ago, Badger said:

Think I read somewhere he can be a headcase, and his antics sparked a massive brawl in one match. 

Which is great, I've always wanted a return to the Alehouse days. 

Most Argentinians are tough and can dish it out a bit. I suspect this guy won’t be any different.

[revolution saint]

8 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

 

We've finally signed Carlos Kickaball!  I've been waiting fucking years to use that cliché.  Ordinarily I'd be all over this signing - young South American flair player I've never heard of - it's every transfer fans dream.  Hopefully he's good but without a decent striker then I can't see it making much difference.

[Saint Garrett]

They've definitely put the "2pm" bit to mug off SkySports....

[whelk]

Excellent news

[Toadhall Saint]

Might be a bit premature 

 

 

[Dman]

I hope he’s got a strong neck. He’s gonna need it watching the ball sail over him all game. 

[davefizzy14]

Very exciting signing, just what we need

[Saint Matty 76]

Not going to pretend to know anything about him but I really wanted a winger & 8 this window and they’ve done that pretty quick. We’re still absolutely in need of a striker & cover for Lavia, we’ll see how that goes.

I’d hope this means we’re planning on playing the 4-3-3 long term, but we’ll see.

[Appy]

 

[derry]

Sky Sports announcing Deal completed for £12m.  

[iansums]

1 minute ago, Appy said:

 

My Spanish isn't great but I think he says "I feckin hate Pompey"

[goodymatt]

4 minutes ago, iansums said:

My Spanish isn't great but I think he says "I feckin hate Pompey"

Can anyone translate the rest? 

[Convict Colony]

He's going to have a shock to the system coming from the argie summer to european winter.

 

[Bad Wolf]

What makes him any more exciting than the teenagers we've signed from City?

[Convict Colony]

A bit more details from the argie press https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-primera/racing-alcaraz-premier-venta-oferta_0_w1B0LsI0VR.html

 

[Convict Colony]

2 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

What makes him any more exciting than the teenagers we've signed from City?

Got a central midfielder now that will go forward first and try and score goals.

[hypochondriac]

Any idea what he's like? I haven't bothered to check until he's actually looking like signing. 

[Convict Colony]

Official on Racing twitter 

 

[Convict Colony]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Any idea what he's like? I haven't bothered to check until he's actually looking like signing. 

Posted this on other thread on sat - this guy does a good breakdown on him 

 

[Toadhall Saint]

Charly says………

[rallyboy]

Scores the late winner in the cup final against Boca and celebrates in front of their fans causing a mass brawl and red card fest...

He sounds alright to me.  😎👍

[derry]

13.65m Euros plus 15% sell on clause.

[disconnect]

It seems like a long time we've been talking about how it'll now be easier for us to sign talent from South America, and hopefully our first (recent) signing from there goes well. Certainly looks promising. Needs to score a goal a game though 🤣

[Saint_clark]

Go on then, let's see his Steve De Ridder style YouTube video.

[Saint NL]

Looks promising, hopefully he can settle quickly and show us what he can do.

A good attacking option from midfield is sorely lacking (especially since Stu Armstrong doesn't play much).

[Convict Colony]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Go on then, let's see his Steve De Ridder style YouTube video.

your wish is my command 

 

[Saint_clark]

4 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

your wish is my command 

 

Thank you peasant. 

Seems like he's going to be more useful for us in the AM role rather than playing in CM. I like the positions he takes up and runs he makes into the box.

[S-Clarke]

Ok, I think it's safe to watch the youtube videos on this guy now! 

I always assumed this guy was a wide player, but he's actually more of a CM (number 8). So he'll be our CM signing, now just a CB and ST to go.

[badgerx16]

33 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Can anyone translate the rest? 

"I also hate Bournemouth and Brighton.

Up the Saints !"

[Chez]

30 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Can anyone translate the rest? 

My Spanish is woeful:

Start with the sentimental part, this farewell is difficult because what I love the most is my family and leaving now without them is going to be difficult, but I know that soon I will have them with me.

This is a surprise?

The truth is that I was about to start training and they told me that everything was closed and that I had to leave because I had a flight now at 2:30 p.m. I'm about to leave Racing to follow my dream.

There was a lot of talk in each transfer market about a possible transfer. Do you think it was the right moment? 

I really don't know. I know I'm going to miss racing a lot. I'm going to miss the club a lot because it's my home. I'm really going to miss the day to day with my teammates the people who made me feel great.

So its farewell, unbeatable, not with a title, but with a very important goal?

Yes, yes, amazing, that you tell me if I had thought like that, maybe not, but I didn't think that goal was going to be the last in racing, but I think that there was no better way than that to end it, that's how it seems to me anyway. We were very close, it was very close, but today I talked to my teammates and I know that they are going to give it 100% to grab that title, we really deserve it, so a lot of good luck to them.

The next stage is Southampton and the Premier League. What expectations do you have?

The PremierLeague is a great league. I know I'm going to have to work hard, play against the best rivals, the expectations are good because I know that I have to earn my place, as at Racing, so that will be beautiful.

What do you want to say to the racing fans?

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart because these two years have always made me feel very, very comfortable despite the occasional bitch that I received, they were always very good to me and my family for their treatment, so it's not goodbye but see you later and I hope to see the pros
 

[Chris cooper]

How long does the work permit process take ? 

[revolution saint]

1 minute ago, Chris cooper said:

How long does the work permit process take ? 

Should be really quick with Sunak as PM.

[goodymatt]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

My Spanish is woeful:

Start with the sentimental part, this farewell is difficult because what I love the most is my family and leaving now without them is going to be difficult, but I know that soon I will have them with me.

This is a surprise?

The truth is that I was about to start training and they told me that everything was closed and that I had to leave because I had a flight now at 2:30 p.m. I'm about to leave Racing to follow my dream.

There was a lot of talk in each transfer market about a possible transfer. Do you think it was the right moment? 

I really don't know. I know I'm going to miss racing a lot. I'm going to miss the club a lot because it's my home. I'm really going to miss the day to day with my teammates the people who made me feel great.

So its farewell, unbeatable, not with a title, but with a very important goal?

Yes, yes, amazing, that you tell me if I had thought like that, maybe not, but I didn't think that goal was going to be the last in racing, but I think that there was no better way than that to end it, that's how it seems to me anyway. We were very close, it was very close, but today I talked to my teammates and I know that they are going to give it 100% to grab that title, we really deserve it, so a lot of good luck to them.

The next stage is Southampton and the Premier League. What expectations do you have?

The PremierLeague is a great league. I know I'm going to have to work hard, play against the best rivals, the expectations are good because I know that I have to earn my place, as at Racing, so that will be beautiful.

What do you want to say to the racing fans?

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart because these two years have always made me feel very, very comfortable despite the occasional bitch that I received, they were always very good to me and my family for their treatment, so it's not goodbye but see you later and I hope to see the pros
 

Thanks Chez, much appreciated!

Sounds like it’s difficult for him to leave his club, I hope he’s ready to make an impact for us quickly.

[Singapore Saint]

1 hour ago, Appy said:

Anyone done a tennis joke yet? 

Or am I too late?

A certain Serb wants to own the nipper 😎

Edited 9 January, 2023 by Singapore Saint

[Chez]

56 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

What makes him any more exciting than the teenagers we've signed from City?

played 80 odd games for Racing, so has played senior football. Not sure that makes him more exciting, but it's what is different from those signings. So more of an ABK type signing than an Edozie.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

11 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Thanks Chez, much appreciated!

Sounds like it’s difficult for him to leave his club, I hope he’s ready to make an impact for us quickly.

Does he even know where Southampton is?!

[goodymatt]

14 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Does he even know where Southampton is?!

I have my doubts 😂

[ArgentinianSaint]

Hi! 

Argentinian and big Racing Club fan here! Following Saints since 2013 and a big fan of the saints aswell.

Alcaraz is a great player, hopefully he will fit in the current squad. Very excited to see Alcaraz making his big move to the PL and to the team I support.