Summer Transfer Window 2024

[gd26]

You're supporting the wrong level of team then.

 

[HKsaint]

14 minutes ago, egg said:

It's RM's beliefs that matter, and he is not going to abandon his beliefs and style.  He only seems to know one way, and we'll try to keep the ball as much as we can regardless of who we play. Liverpool in the cup last year was a case in point.

For what it's worth, I agree that players who can break with the ball would really help at this level, but those players also need to be useful on the ball. Wasteful players just won't fit, and if RM didn't fancy Alcaraz in the championship, he ain't going to fancy him in the PL.

I would image that we would try to keep the ball in our possession and would not shoot even in front of the goal, as either score or miss it would end up with giving possession to the other side, and we would try pass the ball all the way back to our goalkeeper to do a counter-defence.   

[Tom & Gerry]

34 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I don't want to give Mara a few years to develop. 

Probably no point having an academy then. Even a genius needs to learn the game and will be inconsistent at that age. There's no hope for late developers.

[steve green]

10 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

Heard same rumour, plus we've put a cheeky bid in for a promising Greek goalkeeper, Ulysses Cant...

 

Christ chaps. This all takes me back to my Sunday League playing days. We got away with using the names Hans Holder and Jocelyn Box for our ringers.

 

No incoming news then.

[Saint86]

7 hours ago, Turkish said:

He wants his contract paid up and it’s fair enough. We slag players off for not honouring their contracts but clubs should too it’s not all one way. However they are within their rights to do what others demand we do to players and “let them rot in the reserves” so part if me sees it from newscastles point of view too 

as for Fraser himself he’s a competent enough player, good experience, seems a good guy so probably a good guy to have around in the role like he had last season but not if he wants the sort of money he’s meant to be on at Newcastle 

Is it though? His contract has one year left I thought? Newcastle are prepared to let him leave for free and sing a new contract with us, but like any other player leaving a club they shouldn't have to pay his contract beyond him actually leaving. Fraser has the choice - stay and get paid by Newcastle (maybe another loan) or leave Newcastle with a new contract at saints. 

Newcastle are actually being quite fair/generous in allowing him to leave for a free in my oppinion. Clubs only do that when they're desperate to get a player to leave. 

Now, Saints could pay Newcastle a fee if we really wanted fraser, and equally Newcastle could use that fee to offset his wage demands (if they really wanted). 

But the whole thing smacks of fraser digging his heels in with Newcastle, possibly related to whatever happened in the background between him/club/howe and having one last axe to grind. Alternatively, it could just be that he's 30 as it is, he wants to maximise his last big pay day (which would be joining us this summer).

Fwiw, i think if he does stay at Newcastle he's in a risky spot. Another loan might be sanctioned somewhere, but then he'll be 31 next summer and is he really likely to get a prem money move at that point? Reckon we're his last chance on that front, I.e. He signs for us on a 2-3year deal this summer or he won't get a another prem contract. 

At the end of the day though, if they're prepared to release him early from his contract for free, it's more than likely he'll be leaving this summer. Possibly one we get late in the window. 

Edited August 7 by Saint86

[V.Johnathan.Wilson]

3 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

I think we'll need to be more pragmatic, that's all. Burnley went up with the highest average possession ever recorded in the Championship. Surprise surprise, they were not able to impose their philosophy on a much stronger PL and got dicked most weeks. I'd prefer we have a plan to avoid that, rather than stick with a playing philosophy we lack the players to implement successfully.

Burnley also didn't retain Harwood - Bellis, Ian Maatsen and Nathan Tella and spent a large amount of money spent on making wholesale changes to the squad that went up which could've potentially ruined their team chemistry which I gather is important component in a possession focused strategy oh and spending 3/4 of the season using Trafford Over Muric.  I feel there's a lot more to it than Burnley getting beat for choosing to use possession based tactics. 

[Give it to Ron]

That rumour didn’t last long 🙂

🚨 Espanyol are completing the signing of Alejo Véliz from Tottenham.

The Argentine is already in Barcelona!

(Source: @MatteMoretto)

[ally_uk]

Are we actually going to sign anyone?

Our team let's not dress it up still needs major work... 

I can see us getting battery by the Toon 

 

[hypochondriac]

27 minutes ago, Tom & Gerry said:

Probably no point having an academy then. Even a genius needs to learn the game and will be inconsistent at that age. There's no hope for late developers.

He's crap and taking up a place in the squad that could be held by someone who is much better. Sell him and move on. Not every signing works out. 

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

I don't want to give Mara a few years to develop. 

Develop into Guido Carillo (hopefully at Monaco)...

[Dusic]

6 hours ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Ryan Fraser apparently isn't being pursued any longer, Tyler has given Russell confidence that he can play a bigger role in the side.

Fraser may well not be pursued (although I think he will) but regardless don't see why Dibling would be a factor in that as he plays different positions to Fraser, either as a no 8, false 9 or coming from wide right whereas Fraser has almost exclusively played as a left winger for us.

[V.Johnathan.Wilson]

Maurits Kjaergaard another more affordable but good quality alternative to Matt O'Reilly (also left footed like Matt O'Reilly), just scored a brace for Salzburg in the Champions League playoff round (Salzburg despite being a gegenpressing team usually dominate the ball in their league so their players I'd expect they would be good with and without the ball). I sure hope we're not allowing Celtic to pigeonhole ourselves in this race to secure a central midfield/attacking midfield reinforcements. 

Edited August 7 by V.Johnathan.Wilson

[Turkish]

4 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

The lad is 21 years old. As a fanbase we need to stop writing these 20-22 year olds off, we can't afford to be buying top players who are the finished article so we need to be giving a few years to the younger ones to develop. 

We also cant afford to be spending relatively big money on players who need 3-4 years to develop. Our gamble in 2022/23 season of relying on teenagers seems more and more ridiculous. None of the players signed will be first choice players this season despite being here 2 years now. Lavia was a success obviously but one in five when you've spent £50m on them isn't good enough. (yes i know Bazunu would be first choice if he was fit but he shouldn't be)

[miserableoldgit]

10 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We also cant afford to be spending relatively big money on players who need 3-4 years to develop. Our gamble in 2022/23 season of relying on teenagers seems more and more ridiculous. None of the players signed will be first choice players this season despite being here 2 years now. Lavia was a success obviously but one in five when you've spent £50mLivramento on them isn't good enough. (yes i know Bazunu would be first choice if he was fit but he shouldn't be)

Livramento?

[Saint Fan CaM]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We also cant afford to be spending relatively big money on players who need 3-4 years to develop. Our gamble in 2022/23 season of relying on teenagers seems more and more ridiculous. None of the players signed will be first choice players this season despite being here 2 years now. Lavia was a success obviously but one in five when you've spent £50m on them isn't good enough. (yes i know Bazunu would be first choice if he was fit but he shouldn't be)

And therein lies the problem…Lavia was exceptional for his age and there are plenty more examples (not just in our team). The issue lies in the initial scouting and then the crazy deals given, as shown by previous regimes who squandered so much on the hope of a big payday when the youngster is snapped up by a ‘big’ team.

Which the best strategy - Saints take the risk signing a youngster for millions with the hope of a big payday…or, let the ‘big money’ teams take the risk by signing these players, then Saints step in and buy those that don’t quite meet the ‘big money teams’ expectations? I would suggest the latter is best and seems to be more the approach we’re taking lately, however that’s not to say we abandon the Academy and produce solid talent like Tyler.

[Wsaint]

1 hour ago, ally_uk said:

Are we actually going to sign anyone?

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, ally_uk said:

I can see us getting battery by the Toon 

Is that as part of the deal for Fraser? Duracell or Energizer?

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Livramento?

he was signed the season before and missed most of 22/23 with his injury. 

[miserableoldgit]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

he was signed the season before and missed most of 22/23 with his injury. 

Both he an Lavia made us good money though...so good signings from that point of view...

[Hopper]

With Mara it feels like an issue of Skill vs Will.

Im of the belief he’s a skillful player but if he doesn’t have the will to apply himself in the right way, that is much harder to coach out of someone than to upskill someone with the right attitude.

[charliemiller]

1 minute ago, Hopper said:

With Mara it feels like an issue of Skill vs Will.

Im of the belief he’s a skillful player but if he doesn’t have the will to apply himself in the right way, that is much harder to coach out of someone than to upskill someone with the right attitude.

His attitude stinks , look at that Penalty

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 minutes ago, Hopper said:

With Mara it feels like an issue of Skill and Will.

Im of the belief he’s a skillful player but if he doesn’t have the will to apply himself in the right way, that is much harder to coach out of someone than to upskill someone with the right attitude.

Corrected for you…he has neither to a level we should expect. Thankfully it’s being reported that Brest are interested in him, but likely a loan.

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

1 hour ago, steve green said:

 

Christ chaps. This all takes me back to my Sunday League playing days. We got away with using the names Hans Holder and Jocelyn Box for our ringers.

 

No incoming news then.

Miovski rumour may have re-emerged.

[Midfield_General]

2 hours ago, HKsaint said:

I would image that we would try to keep the ball in our possession and would not shoot even in front of the goal, as either score or miss it would end up with giving possession to the other side, and we would try pass the ball all the way back to our goalkeeper to do a counter-defence.   

"Now you're talking"

[Turkish]

15 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Both he an Lavia made us good money though...so good signings from that point of view...

Yep if you're looking at it purely from a profit point of view we signed 7, sold 2 made about £20m (depending on what figure you believe for Chelseas sell on clause). However the other 5 aren't first choice first team players yet after 2 years. Personally i'd rather we didn't base our whole transfer model on how much we can sell players for in the future. The club seems to be thinking this way too now given our transfers since relegation. 

[Saint_clark]

43 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We also cant afford to be spending relatively big money on players who need 3-4 years to develop. Our gamble in 2022/23 season of relying on teenagers seems more and more ridiculous. None of the players signed will be first choice players this season despite being here 2 years now. Lavia was a success obviously but one in five when you've spent £50m on them isn't good enough. (yes i know Bazunu would be first choice if he was fit but he shouldn't be)

But we're not spending relatively big money on them. Relatively big money would be £20-30million each. We spend in the £6-15million region. 

[MarkSFC]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

But we're not spending relatively big money on them. Relatively big money would be £20-30million each. We spend in the £6-15million region. 

Well we have with some but THB and FD were more than that. If we have any chance of staying up we need to sign 2 or 3 more in the 20-25m bracket to get a certain quality that will more likely help us now rather than a year or two down the line. It feels to me like we might have 3 or 4 deals lined up but just waiting for 2 or 3 to go out too, so it's just getting all the pieces aligned and hopefully that will happen over the next week. I'm not worried yet but if no more come in this window I will be. 

[Saint_clark]

4 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

Well we have with some but THB and FD were more than that. If we have any chance of staying up we need to sign 2 or 3 more in the 20-25m bracket to get a certain quality that will more likely help us now rather than a year or two down the line. It feels to me like we might have 3 or 4 deals lined up but just waiting for 2 or 3 to go out too, so it's just getting all the pieces aligned and hopefully that will happen over the next week. I'm not worried yet but if no more come in this window I will be. 

Yes, and those are already good enough. But we don't have the funds to buy an entire team (squad) of ready made players. 

I'll say it now, unless we sell KWP I can almost guarantee we don't spend more than £15million on another player. 

Edited August 7 by Saint_clark

[Turkish]

8 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

But we're not spending relatively big money on them. Relatively big money would be £20-30million each. We spend in the £6-15million region. 

we spent £75m on Lavia, Bazunu, Larios, Edozie, Mara, Alcarez and Sulemana in 2022/23. that's more money than we've ever spent in any window. None of them will be on the starting team sheet when we play Newcastle. 

[UpweySaint]

12 minutes ago, Turkish said:

we spent £75m on Lavia, Bazunu, Larios, Edozie, Mara, Alcarez and Sulemana in 2022/23. that's more money than we've ever spent in any window. None of them will be on the starting team sheet when we play Newcastle. 

Fair point. If we’re being pedantic Bazunu is injured and Larios’ development has been hampered by long term injury which we couldn’t foresee. Edozie may start. Mara had a good youth tournament and l can see why we punted on him but he clearly isn’t meeting expectations (and I don’t think he will!) The broad point that we’ve spent our money poorly is fair though.

Sulemana was money spaffed up the wall in an attempt to secure the next Mane.

I still think Edozie may come good and Alcarez is a talented player but not suited to our system. Bazunu I get the stick he gets but still think he is one worth persevering with though preferably as a no2 with an experienced and capable no1 to learn from and push.

 

Ultimately it’s about balance. Gambling on potential isn’t a bad idea for a club of our size but when the foundations of the club/squad are so shaky it falls apart. Our most successful periods have seen young talent bedded in to settled teams with experience and quality through the side. Time will tell but it feels like Sports Republic have learnt this lesson even if we’re still struggling with the legacy of previous poor decisions.
 

[AlexLaw76]

37 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

"Now you're talking"

Pellegrino - WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ABOUT!!!

[CSA96]

38 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

"Now you're talking"

That belongs behind a spoiler/warning

[Saint_clark]

23 minutes ago, Turkish said:

we spent £75m on Lavia, Bazunu, Larios, Edozie, Mara, Alcarez and Sulemana in 2022/23. that's more money than we've ever spent in any window. None of them will be on the starting team sheet when we play Newcastle. 

We spent more in 14/15 although I'll admit that was with a lot of outgoings. 

But again, those players were signed with a deliberate long term strategy in mind. Only one of those players is no longer here and he made most of that money back himself. 

[Midfield_General]

Spaffing great chunks of our limited wage bill on wastes of space like Lallana doesn’t really help either. What a contribution he’s made to our pre-season. Start as you mean to go on eh ‘Adz’.

Bet he’s a really really great lad to have around the dressing room though, and that’s a great reason to pay him £60k a week or whatever the fuck we’re wasting on him that could have gone towards paying the going rate for a striker who can actually walk or a proper PL keeper. 

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Midfield_General said:

Spaffing great chunks of our limited wage bill on wastes of space like Lallana doesn’t really help either. What a contribution he’s made to our pre-season. Start as you mean to go on eh ‘Adz’.

Bet he’s a really really great lad to have around the dressing room though, and that’s a great reason to pay him £60k a week or whatever the fuck we’re wasting on him that could have gone towards paying the going rate for a striker who can actually walk or a proper PL keeper. 

Martin loves his cheeky lads with beards to have mad bants with. 

[John B]

25 minutes ago, Turkish said:

we spent £75m on Lavia, Bazunu, Larios, Edozie, Mara, Alcarez and Sulemana in 2022/23. that's more money than we've ever spent in any window. None of them will be on the starting team sheet when we play Newcastle. 

I agree with the point you are making but Bazunu and Larious are injured and not PL standard yet and Lavia has been sold

[CSA96]

 

[SaintsFan86]

Good riddance to bad rubbish. 

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

We spent more in 14/15 although I'll admit that was with a lot of outgoings. 

But again, those players were signed with a deliberate long term strategy in mind. Only one of those players is no longer here and he made most of that money back himself. 

we spent more than that though, the £75m was just what we spent on young players, that doesn't even include Bella=-Kotchap who was also 20 and played most of his football in the Budesliga 2, but at least he contributed even if his attitude is questionable. 

the difference between 14/15 and 22/23 was we signed good, experienced players who went straight into the first team. Bertrand, Tadic, Long, Forster, Pelle, Mane, Alderwierld on loan. All of them with plenty of first team football under their belts, all of them had played at international level, some of them had played in the champions league. They weren't kids who had never kicked a ball in mens football before who needed 2, 3, 4 years to develop. You can get away with one or two like that but not 5 or 6 in one window

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, John B said:

I agree with the point you are making but Bazunu and Larious are injured and not PL standard yet and Lavia has been sold

that's exactly the point i'm making, the ones that haven't been sold aren't premier league standard yet after 2 years of being here. 

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

we spent more than that though, the £75m was just what we spent on young players, that doesn't even include Bella=-Kotchap who was also 20 and played most of his football in the Budesliga 2, but at least he contributed even if his attitude is questionable. 

the difference between 14/15 and 22/23 was we signed good, experienced players who went straight into the first team. Bertrand, Tadic, Long, Forster, Pelle, Mane, Alderwierld on loan. All of them with plenty of first team football under their belts, all of them had played at international level, some of them had played in the champions league. They weren't kids who had never kicked a ball in mens football before who needed 2, 3, 4 years to develop. You can get away with one or two like that but not 5 or 6 in one window

Can we even afford that level of player now though? 

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, gd26 said:

You're supporting the wrong level of team then.

So if you can see with your own eyes that Mara is absolute dogshit and not worth wasting anymore time on, you’re supporting the wrong level of team? Because we could never, ever expect to do better than him, and it’s only fair that we should wait until he’s at least 24 before we can expect any sort of meaningful return?

Righto 👍

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

that's exactly the point i'm making, the ones that haven't been sold aren't premier league standard yet after 2 years of being here. 

Bit harsh on Larios. He might be incredible but we've had no chance of finding out. Bazunu is a dud considering the money we paid. 

Edited August 7 by hypochondriac

[Turkish]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Bit harsh on Larios. He might be incredible but we've had no chance of finding out. Bazunu is a dud considering the money we paid. 

he didn't look it when he did play.

[Midfield_General]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

the difference between 14/15 and 22/23 was we signed good, experienced players who went straight into the first team. Bertrand, Tadic, Long, Forster, Pelle, Mane, Alderwierld on loan. All of them with plenty of first team football under their belts, all of them had played at international level, some of them had played in the champions league. They weren't kids who had never kicked a ball in mens football before who needed 2, 3, 4 years to develop. You can get away with one or two like that but not 5 or 6 in one window

Absolutely spot on

[Verbal]

13 hours ago, SNSUN said:

Better him than signing Russian player Waystuv Spayz.

Good pedigree though. His father Lorn-Chinto was a great tackler.

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Can we even afford that level of player now though? 

well we spent the best part of £125m in 2022/23 across the two windows, instead of signing 4-5 players of real quality we gambled on kids and it spectacularly backfired.

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

he didn't look it when he did play.

He's 20 and played for us five times in two years. 

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

well we spent the best part of £125m in 2022/23 across the two windows, instead of signing 4-5 players of real quality we gambled on kids and it spectacularly backfired.

Indeed we did and we are still living with the effects of that overspend now. With FFP we won't be seeing sign of bgs like that again. It will be one to two starting 11 quality signings a season. 

[Give it to Ron]

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Hoffenheim and Stuttgart have both approached Saints for the centre-back ABK that is:-) 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps

Edited August 7 by Give it to Ron

[Wade Garrett]

3 hours ago, Tom & Gerry said:

Probably no point having an academy then. Even a genius needs to learn the game and will be inconsistent at that age. There's no hope for late developers.

There’s no hope for Mara.  Absolute dogshit.