Summer Transfer Window 2024

[saintant]

4 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

👍. Darn it. TQ for the heads up. 

Same principle though - if Shea leaves RM needs another dmf in the building. Maybe Guido or a return of JWP (!) is possible after all? 

Even if it was possible I'm not convinced JWP is what we need. I'd rather we signed someone in the mould of Romeu who gives us more of a physical presence. 

[CanadaSaint]

Watching our sluggish transfer activity as we get closer to the end of the window, I keep thinking about two possible explanations for the apparent lack of progress.

The first is that, while we’re genuinely constrained by some FFP factors, we have a significant budget and some quality targets identified in known areas of need, and there’s a lot of progress being made behind the scenes. However, for those plans to come to fruition needs some dominoes to fall – some of which are outside the club. However, a big domino for us is selling KWP at a decent price; I don’t think we’d have spent £6 million on Sugawara if we were planning on keeping him. Bella-Kotchap, Sulemana and Alcaraz could also be key dominoes, or they might be integral to Martin's plans; he's keeping his cards close on those three, so we just don't know.

That’s all completely normal at this time of year. As fans we want things to happen NOW but we underestimate the complexities involved and we don't know the different permutations they are considering.

The second explanation is much more troubling. It’s that Sports Republic views being a “yoyo club” as a good business model as long as they don’t spend big money on players who could turn into millstones if we were relegated (as we did in 2022-23). That would be a hell of a high-risk strategy – especially with their spotty history in the transfer market, the club's reluctance to give the best Academy products a decent chance, and the ongoing debate surrounding parachute payments.

I’m not sure what to think any more, but I do know that there’s a massive aspirational difference between being a fan of a club and an investor in one.
 

[Farmer Saint]

4 hours ago, Kenilworthy said:

Bournemouth and Fulham were yo-yo teams but have managed to stabilise

 

4 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

What like Bournemouth? Or Fulham? 

Bournemouth spent 2 years in the Championship between 2020 and 2022.

Fulham have been Champ, Prem, Champ, Prem, Champ, Prem, Prem over the last 6 seasons - literally the definition of yoyo. They stayed up in 2022 because when they got promoted in 2020 they only spent £30m, then £17m in 2021 when in the champ. This meant they got promoted with the opportunity to spend £70m, and having Mitrovic up front helped. They nearly got fucked by PSR last year as well due to that

Just because 1 club doesn't fit the rule doesn't mean the rule isn't correct, it means they are an outlier. 

So no, not like Bournemouth and Fulham. 

[Farmer Saint]

4 hours ago, lambtiss said:

Crystal Palace are another

Palace haven't been in the Chpionship since 2012???

[Farmer Saint]

4 hours ago, Saint Billy said:

Ipswich have been out of the top tier for 22 years, no thanks.

I agree, no one wants it, but it's very difficult with PSR to get out of yoyoing unless you come up, spend next to nothing and stay up. 

[lambtiss]

14 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Palace haven't been in the Chpionship since 2012???

The discussion was about clubs that WERE yo-yo clubs but which had become stable PL clubs. I think CP fit that description

[Saint Marky]

3 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

These are Lucy's nails......will say no more.... 

more likely yours

[Turkish]

3 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

These are Lucy's nails......will say no more.... 

she loves a bit of Turkish. Make of that what you will 

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

25 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

The discussion was about clubs that WERE yo-yo clubs but which had become stable PL clubs. I think CP fit that description

They are looking like a good contender to be the next Brighton. Some excellent players coming through there

[S-Clarke]

53 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Watching our sluggish transfer activity as we get closer to the end of the window, I keep thinking about two possible explanations for the apparent lack of progress.

The first is that, while we’re genuinely constrained by some FFP factors, we have a significant budget and some quality targets identified in known areas of need, and there’s a lot of progress being made behind the scenes. However, for those plans to come to fruition needs some dominoes to fall – some of which are outside the club. However, a big domino for us is selling KWP at a decent price; I don’t think we’d have spent £6 million on Sugawara if we were planning on keeping him. Bella-Kotchap, Sulemana and Alcaraz could also be key dominoes, or they might be integral to Martin's plans; he's keeping his cards close on those three, so we just don't know.

That’s all completely normal at this time of year. As fans we want things to happen NOW but we underestimate the complexities involved and we don't know the different permutations they are considering.

The second explanation is much more troubling. It’s that Sports Republic views being a “yoyo club” as a good business model as long as they don’t spend big money on players who could turn into millstones if we were relegated (as we did in 2022-23). That would be a hell of a high-risk strategy – especially with their spotty history in the transfer market, the club's reluctance to give the best Academy products a decent chance, and the ongoing debate surrounding parachute payments.

I’m not sure what to think any more, but I do know that there’s a massive aspirational difference between being a fan of a club and an investor in one.
 

I don't know why people are so panicky at the moment. It's been absolutley evident that our squad isn't going to be finished before the end of August, it will go right up to the deadline. 

We were never going to have all of our requirements filled by the Newcastle game, there is not a scenario in the world whereby that was a possibility. We may need to roll with the punches a little bit over the first couple of games, but the messages I'm seeing about the club being slow, sluggish, losing their way, asleep on the market, penny pinching, only focused on Gozepte etc are just nonsense. (that's not a dig at you personally by the way, it's all the things I see over social media from so called fans)

As has been said so many times, we will wait for opportunities in the loan market - top level players too - they will only become options and available as we reach the end of the window, the same can also be said for guys like Matt O'Riley - as we get closer, he may push himself, which will force Celtics hand (to Atalanta or us). 

I think we've had a really structured and sensible window up to this point, we got the early deals in we could get in, but we have to be patient to get the quality enhancement signings we are clearly still after. 

[saintant]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

I don't know why people are so panicky at the moment. It's been absolutley evident that our squad isn't going to be finished before the end of August, it will go right up to the deadline. 

We were never going to have all of our requirements filled by the Newcastle game, there is not a scenario in the world whereby that was a possibility. We may need to roll with the punches a little bit over the first couple of games, but the messages I'm seeing about the club being slow, sluggish, losing their way, asleep on the market, penny pinching, only focused on Gozepte etc are just nonsense. (that's not a dig at you personally by the way, it's all the things I see over social media from so called fans)

As has been said so many times, we will wait for opportunities in the loan market - top level players too - they will only become options and available as we reach the end of the window, the same can also be said for guys like Matt O'Riley - as we get closer, he may push himself, which will force Celtics hand (to Atalanta or us). 

I think we've had a really structured and sensible window up to this point, we got the early deals in we could get in, but we have to be patient to get the quality enhancement signings we are clearly still after. 

To be competitive we'll need to sign a minimum 4 good new players who can step straight into the side (including a goalkeeper). Will we get them? I doubt it. Even if we do they need to adapt to the RM way of playing and we had all that at the start of last season. My guess is that we'll get in a few underwhelming new signings and muddle along. Hope I'm wrong but that's the vibe I'm getting. Decent money will not be spent and we'll miss targets because we won't offer the going rate. We must sign a keeper, a striker, a solid midfielder to slot in alongside Downes and a creative number 10.

[Baird of the land]

1 hour ago, CanadaSaint said:

Watching our sluggish transfer activity as we get closer to the end of the window, I keep thinking about two possible explanations for the apparent lack of progress.

 

It's odd to me to call signing 7 players(so far) as sluggish

[badgerx16]

11 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

It's odd to me to call signing 7 players(so far) as sluggish

It's hardly up there with Forest last summer.

[S-Clarke]

5 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

It's hardly up there with Forest last summer.

And that approach was a raving success. They were still embroiled in a relegation battle, a massive squad of players who have never really clicked, hit by points deductions because of their spending and further sanctions on what they can do this year because of their daft approach.

So, yep - please don't do that Southampton.

[hypochondriac]

31 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

It's odd to me to call signing 7 players(so far) as sluggish

I think it is rather sluggish in certain positions but I can understand why getting quality in might be hard. If we get the players in eventually then fair enough but if not it would be hard not to be at least slightly critical. 

[SouSaint]

56 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

It's odd to me to call signing 7 players(so far) as sluggish

But how many actually improve the starting 11 from last season?

I hate this mentality of improving the squad, improve the starting 11 and that in turn, improves the squad. 

As things stand, our only new player that improve the starting 11 from last season's starting 11 is BBD. 

[Sheaf Saint]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

she loves a bit of Turkish. Make of that what you will 

She's got you wrapped around her finger Turks 😉

[LuckyNumber7]

11 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

But how many actually improve the starting 11 from last season?

I hate this mentality of improving the squad, improve the starting 11 and that in turn, improves the squad. 

As things stand, our only new player that improve the starting 11 from last season's starting 11 is BBD. 

You don't think Charlie Taylor is an upgrade on Manning?

[saintwbu]

We need a back up to Downes whether Shea Charles is here or not. Russell clearly doesn’t trust him, which I can’t say I disagree with based on last season, and the drop off when Flynn is out is enormous. If Flynn gets any significant lay-off next season then we might as well forfeit the games and save our fitness, if we haven’t brought in a suitable backup.

[CanadaSaint]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I don't know why people are so panicky at the moment. It's been absolutley evident that our squad isn't going to be finished before the end of August, it will go right up to the deadline. 

We were never going to have all of our requirements filled by the Newcastle game, there is not a scenario in the world whereby that was a possibility. We may need to roll with the punches a little bit over the first couple of games, but the messages I'm seeing about the club being slow, sluggish, losing their way, asleep on the market, penny pinching, only focused on Gozepte etc are just nonsense. (that's not a dig at you personally by the way, it's all the things I see over social media from so called fans)

As has been said so many times, we will wait for opportunities in the loan market - top level players too - they will only become options and available as we reach the end of the window, the same can also be said for guys like Matt O'Riley - as we get closer, he may push himself, which will force Celtics hand (to Atalanta or us). 

I think we've had a really structured and sensible window up to this point, we got the early deals in we could get in, but we have to be patient to get the quality enhancement signings we are clearly still after. 

Oh, I'm not panicking. I think the first scenario is likely playing out - some quality options waiting for the right moment to arrive. But we're talking about some vital positional cogs and a shrinking timeline. The price of failing to bring them in would be very high. It's not just a quality GK and creative midfielder, but we need Downes cover (if that's not Charles); I have few doubts about Flynn's ability but I certainly have some about his durability, and we've really struggled when he was sick/injured. Unlike some folks, I'd really like to see Fraser back because he has pace and directness (we're going to need that kind of out-ball a lot more this year), he provides a good delivery into the box, and he was solid in a wingback role (reliable tracking back will also be more important).

Some queasiness is understandable because time's a-ticking. It's magnified when there are questions surrounding key players (like Stewart, Fraser), and when we're not seeing much interest in the players (KWP, ABK, Sulemana, maybe Alcaraz) who could bring in the money to fund what we really need. I'll feel better when some of those dominoes start to wobble.

But the longer this goes on the more I'll start wondering about SR's thinking.

[Master Bates]

No talk of the private plane from Newcastle?

[Master Bates]

https://x.com/BenRandellSFC/status/1819447659868180525

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Master Bates said:

No talk of the private plane from Newcastle?

Last time there was one of them it cost us over 11m sheets 

[Give it to Ron]

3 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

No talk of the private plane from Newcastle?

Fraser or Dubravka?

Edited August 2 by Give it to Ron

[Master Bates]

1 minute ago, Give it to Ron said:

Fraser?

Maybe? Or just someone travelling from Newcastle to Southampton 

Edited August 2 by Master Bates

[Master Bates]

[Lighthouse]

According to Cessna’s official website, the Citation only has an internal cabin height of 5’8", so it certainly could be Ryan Fraser.

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Baird of the land said:

It's odd to me to call signing 7 players(so far) as sluggish

was going to say the same thing except I think we have signed more than seven:

Downes, THB, Brereton-Diaz, Sugawara, Wood, Edwards, Taylor, Welington, Lallana, Juan, Takoaka, Matsuki...and a new deal for McCarthy.

Might not be the players we need to keep us up, especially if they are playing their football in Turkey, but some work has taken place by someone this summer.

[SouSaint]

50 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

You don't think Charlie Taylor is an upgrade on Manning?

Possibly but he's still pretty poor at this level in my opinion. 

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, Chez said:

was going to say the same thing except I think we have signed more than seven:

Downes, THB, Brereton-Diaz, Sugawara, Wood, Edwards, Taylor, Welington, Lallana, Juan, Takoaka, Matsuki...and a new deal for McCarthy.

Might not be the players we need to keep us up, especially if they are playing their football in Turkey, but some work has taken place by someone this summer.

I don't think you can seriously count the players we have signed for the Turkish team. None of them are going to play for us this year. 

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

Possibly but he's still pretty poor at this level in my opinion. 

What's that based on? 

[notnowcato]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

she loves a bit of Turkish. Make of that what you will 

That’s her reach around finger. 

[danjosaint]

I actually thought Charlie Taylor wasn't a bad player certainly massive upgrade on manning 

[Chez]

23 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I don't think you can seriously count the players we have signed for the Turkish team. None of them are going to play for us this year. 

If we have done the work to sign them, then the people involved in signing players at SFC haven't been sat on their hands all summer. So they haven't been `sluggish so far' as was described. They have been pretty damn busy. Totally agree that half of them won't help us at all though.

[Chez]

36 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

Possibly but he's still pretty poor at this level in my opinion. 

do you mean out of the say 40+ odd senior left backs in the league, he'd be in the bottom five or 6? I genuinely don't know as not really followed his career.

That would be an interesting assessment of the squad. How many make it into the top half (or even top two thirds) of each positional list. 

[Farmer Saint]

3 hours ago, lambtiss said:

The discussion was about clubs that WERE yo-yo clubs but which had become stable PL clubs. I think CP fit that description

No, the discussion was about yoyo clubs in the PSR era. I know that, because I started the fucking discussion. 

Edited August 2 by Farmer Saint

[Lighthouse]

Taylor is a reasonable enough player for a club in our position but that's not really the issue here. A bottom third quality LB is barely a scratch on the massive void in quality between what we came up with and what we need to stay up.

[hypochondriac]

35 minutes ago, Chez said:

If we have done the work to sign them, then the people involved in signing players at SFC haven't been sat on their hands all summer. So they haven't been `sluggish so far' as was described. They have been pretty damn busy. Totally agree that half of them won't help us at all though.

The sluggish part will be referring to the huge lack of quality in attacking positions and goalkeeper. To take it to extremes to make a point, would you be describing the management as busy if they'd solely signed players for Göztepe and none for us? The only players thsy count are the ones we bring in for our squad. The fact they may have done work to sign players for other teams is utterly irrelevant. 

Edited August 2 by hypochondriac

[hypochondriac]

27 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Taylor is a reasonable enough player for a club in our position but that's not really the issue here. A bottom third quality LB is barely a scratch on the massive void in quality between what we came up with and what we need to stay up.

It's not that I particularly disagree (though maybe a bit of an exaggeration) but my only beef was with the person saying that Taylor was a poor signing. Whether he's sufficient to strengthen the squad on his own to the extent that he keeps us up is a different question (clearly not). 

[Pat from Poole]

11 hours ago, davefizzy14 said:

Yes please!

Signing for West Ham by the look of it (as per Fabrizio Romano…..)

[Dellyears]

25 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

The sluggish part will be referring to the huge lack of quality in attacking positions and goalkeeper. To take it to extremes to make a point, would you be describing the management as busy if they'd solely signed players for Göztepe and none for us? The only players thsy count are the ones we bring in for our squad. The fact they may have done work to sign players for other teams is utterly irrelevant. 

Our squad is stronger than when promoted. chances of strengthening further are high. what's the panic? We can't splash cash and if we do the financial rules will mean points deduction and relegation that way. the owners/management are treading a tight rope and haven't fallen yet. give them  some credit!

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Dellyears said:

Our squad is stronger than when promoted. chances of strengthening further are high. what's the panic? We can't splash cash and if we do the financial rules will mean points deduction and relegation that way. the owners/management are treading a tight rope and haven't fallen yet. give them  some credit!

I think you misunderstand my post. I'm not actually bothered by it, I'm simply challenging the assertion that we have been busy and using loads of signing signed for Göztepe as evidence for that. 

[Dusic]

I think a balanced view, and probably the accurate one is to say that we have signed some promising young talents to provide cover in central defence, have added a competent but unspectaular LB in Taylor. In all honesty we probably had no PL competition for those signings. We then replaced outgoings/expected outgoings (Adams and KWP) with players who look likely to be of a similar, decent level, albeit are unproven and in the case of Sugawara will clearly need time to adjust. Certainly cannot say we have hugely improved a team that finished 4th in the Championship.

In goal, playing a style that is high risk and requires technical ability we have a keeper who is notoriously poor with his feet and who was 3rd choice for most of last season in the Championship, who has been awful in pre season and will start as #1.

In attack as it stands we are undeniably massively short of giving ourselves a fighting chance. We are relying on Arma having a hugely greater impact than he managed before (4 PL goals in 2 whole seasons) and BBD who is still an unknown at this level in all honesty. To think people turn their nose up at the idea of someone like Danny Ings!

The likes of Edozie, Mara, Sulemana did not really make an impact at Championship level yet will be the first attacking options off the bench as it stands, with Edozie quite possibly starting. 

Its not to say we need to go into mass panic because there is still a month left in the window but we absolutely have to sign at least two attacking players who are good enough to start 30+ games in the PL and ideally have some form of track record of scoring/assisting at a good level, plus a good GK who fits the style.

If we think we can survive with just adding a couple more £8 - 12m players with potential it is clear we will get relegated, without question because the PL is ruthless and looks stronger this season than for the last few. 

Edited August 2 by Dusic

[Baird of the land]

3 minutes ago, Dusic said:

I think a balanced view, and probably the accurate one is to say that we have signed some promising young talents to provide cover in central defence, have added a competent but unspectaular LB in Taylor and then replaced outgoings/expected outgoings (Adams and KWP) with players who look likely to be of a similar level, albeit are unproven.

In attack as it stands we are undeniably massively short of giving ourselves a fighting chance. We are relying on Arma having a hugely greater impact than he managed before (4 PL goals in 2 whole seasons) and BBD who is still an unknown at this level in all honesty.

The likes of Edozie, Mara, Sulemana did not really make an impact at Championship level yet will be the first attacking options off the bench as it stands, with Edozie quite possibly starting. 

Its not to say we need to go into mass panic because there is still a month left in the window but we absolutely have to sign at least two attacking players who are good enough to start 30+ games in the PL and ideally have some form of track record of scoring/assisting at a good level.

If we think we can survive with just adding a couple more £8 - 12m players with potential it is clear we will get relegated, without question because the PL looks stronger this season than for the last few. 

We’ve also spent a considerable chunk on money on a first choice cb and a first choice cm.

[hypochondriac]

Decent starter 

Sugawara Bednarek THB Taylor 

Downes decent starter 

Armstrong BD 

Decent starter

 

With a decent winger as an option along with Aribo and Smallbone might give us a chance to survive. 

[hypochondriac]

Just now, Baird of the land said:

We’ve also spent a considerable chunk on money on a first choice cb and a first choice cm.

Yes but neither are improvements on last year's team. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

McCarthy

Sugawara, THB, Bednarek, Stephens, Taylor

Downes, Smallbone, Aribo

AA, BBD

Backups: Lumley, Lis, Bree, Edwards, Wood, Manning, Larios, Lallana, Alcaraz, Stewart, Edozie, SAA, Dibling

Probably on their way: Sule, Mara, ABK, KWP, TP, Meghoma

 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Unfortunately there are thick people everywhere on Twitter.

You’ve got people panicking because we haven’t spent £500M on a player yet, people moaning that we haven’t signed ten players like on FIFA. People moaning about a pre-season defeat which is extremely meaningless.

I wish you could chuck stupid people away or mute them but unfortunately you’re never far away from one, they’re like a turd that just won’t flush.

There’s some Saints fan accounts on Twitter which just permanently talk shit, JustSaints is one, SaintsSocialite latches on to any rumour, SaintsHQ you’d think the guy running it is a manic depressive.

As long as our squad is stronger when the window closes I couldn’t give less of a toss.
The club is clearly working on things in the background, I think they’ll be one or two surprises along the way.

Just some people seriously need to grow up and quite frankly shut up if they have nothing constructive to add.

Football is not the be all and end all, life is too bloody short to be angry about Lallana not being in a match day squad, or Ronaldo not being announced as a Saints player yet.

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

McCarthy

Sugawara, THB, Bednarek, Stephens, Taylor

Downes, Smallbone, Aribo

AA, BBD

Backups: Lumley, Lis, Bree, Edwards, Wood, Manning, Larios, Lallana, Alcaraz, Stewart, Edozie, SAA, Dibling

Probably on their way: Sule, Mara, ABK, KWP, TP, Meghoma

 

Yes that's the likely team at the moment. Rubbish midfield and attack for the prem and an average defence. 

[Hayling Saint]

6 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Unfortunately there are thick people everywhere on Twitter.

You’ve got people panicking because we haven’t spent £500M on a player yet, people moaning that we haven’t signed ten players like on FIFA. People moaning about a pre-season defeat which is extremely meaningless.

I wish you could chuck stupid people away or mute them but unfortunately you’re never far away from one, they’re like a turd that just won’t flush.

There’s some Saints fan accounts on Twitter which just permanently talk shit, JustSaints is one, SaintsSocialite latches on to any rumour, SaintsHQ you’d think the guy running it is a manic depressive.

As long as our squad is stronger when the window closes I couldn’t give less of a toss.
The club is clearly working on things in the background, I think they’ll be one or two surprises along the way.

Just some people seriously need to grow up and quite frankly shut up if they have nothing constructive to add.

Football is not the be all and end all, life is too bloody short to be angry about Lallana not being in a match day squad, or Ronaldo not being announced as a Saints player yet.

Totally agree with this.