Summer Transfer Window 2024

[stknowle]

1 hour ago, iansums said:

I was with my WHU supporting brother on Saturday and he was wetting himself over what he thought was a brilliant transfer window for the Hammers, 'absolutlely buzzing' he said, although he had had a bit to drink.

Tend to agree with your brother, and I can see them doing really well (as much as it pains me to say so given I have an ultra-irritating Wham supporting pal). 

[Ex Ringwood Saint]

4 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

We've already spent £50m, we wouldn't have spent anywhere near that if we'd stayed down.

Essentially we have spent to stay still. Not getting promoted would of seen us significantly worse of in a competitive championship. I get everyone's frustrations at lack of action beyond the current spending but as many have said we are in a ruck and a hard place and knew this at the end of last season. Nothing has changed.. We Had to get promoted to stay still and we hope it's enough to be better than three other teams... I'm expecting little this season...as it suits a large chunk of us are... But who knows... Maybe things will click and we do the bare minimum to stay up.....

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

I want a lamborghini, but if I walk in the shop and offer £6k for it, I would know that I don't really have a true intention of buying it. 

I personally don't know the cost of Lamborghinis, but a quick google will have the list price. Is there a website with the list price for Celtic players?

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Exactly. Get relegated, have a go at winning it next season with a better squad. Keep Edwards, Wood, Taylor, Suga, best back four in the league, Armstrong best striker. All the kids we signed in 2022 will be one year away from being developed so will be better, we might even see Stewart for a couple of games.

Well be out of the 3 year window of the £100-200m that fucked us. We need to keep spending low and yoyo with few sales for it to work. As I have continually said for the past 18 months. 

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

I want a lamborghini, but if I walk in the shop and offer £6k for it, I would know that I don't really have a true intention of buying it. 

So are you saying that O'Riley should cost £600m??? Using those cost ratios it seems so. 

[wild-saint]

6 minutes ago, Ex Ringwood Saint said:

Essentially we have spent to stay still. Not getting promoted would of seen us significantly worse of in a competitive championship. I get everyone's frustrations at lack of action beyond the current spending but as many have said we are in a ruck and a hard place and knew this at the end of last season. Nothing has changed.. We Had to get promoted to stay still and we hope it's enough to be better than three other teams... I'm expecting little this season...as it suits a large chunk of us are... But who knows... Maybe things will click and we do the bare minimum to stay up.....

We are in a good place if we go down. The current team would have a great chance of going back up and any sales would be for decent money allowing us to replace. God help us if we hadn't gone up as the team would be a lot worse than last seasons IMO. Maybe the YoYo approach will allows us to build a stronger squad over a couple of years with giving us a better platform to stay up

I expect a couple of reasonable loans and maybe a couple of signings if we manage to off some of the dross.

They are probably prepared to wait until the end of the window if necessary as they feel Newcastle away is a loss regardless and they probably have enough to get some sort of result at home to Forest.

Edited August 12 by wild-saint

[Strangely Brown]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

I personally don't know the cost of Lamborghinis, but a quick google will have the list price. Is there a website with the list price for Celtic players?

Try www.brendonrogers/turkeyteeth.com

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

Out of interest, why do people think that if we got relegated we would be able to keep the same team together in order to then storm next season's Championship? 

Surely it would be like any other season - even if we got relegated, any/ most of the players who did well would just get picked off and bought by other clubs. If for example Sugawara turns out to be amazing, he'd almost certainly want to stay in the top division and earn PL money, and someone would buy him. Same with THB or Downes or anyone else half decent. We'd be left with the players that other clubs felt weren't PL quality, and would have to rebuild again with players who were happy to play in the Championship, with all the risks that that involves. 

I'm not sure it's as simple as 'oh well, if we go down then this team would get straight back up again'. 

It's more about whether we would have to sell them - we have young-ish players with longer contracts. It would be PSR that dictates what we need to sell I would expect. 

[Kenilworthy]

2 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

We are in a good place if we go down. The current team would have a great chance of going back up and any sales would be for decent money allowing us to replace. God help us if we hadn't gone up as the team would be a lot worse than last seasons IMO. Maybe the YoYo approach will allows us to build a stronger squad over a couple of years with giving us a better platform to stay up

I expect a couple of reasonable loans and maybe a couple of signings if we manage to off some of the dross.

Going up or staying down, we were fated to have a difficult season this time round. But I prefer this flavour of difficult. It puts us off becoming Stoke for at least another year.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

10 minutes ago, Ex Ringwood Saint said:

Essentially we have spent to stay still. Not getting promoted would of seen us significantly worse of in a competitive championship. I get everyone's frustrations at lack of action beyond the current spending but as many have said we are in a ruck and a hard place and knew this at the end of last season. Nothing has changed.. We Had to get promoted to stay still and we hope it's enough to be better than three other teams... I'm expecting little this season...as it suits a large chunk of us are... But who knows... Maybe things will click and we do the bare minimum to stay up.....

We've spent to stay still but a couple of quality loans would improve us

[Farmer Saint]

46 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Relegation from the prem is financially disastrous. Any plan that includes getting relegated is idiotic. 

You have to plan for relegation though - I think the point is they've planned for both in a single strategy. 

[wild-saint]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Whilst this is undoubtedly true, the overall feeling/message is that we are not in a position financially to greatly improve the squad/team, so expectations are low.

that's not really true is it? 2 loans and 1 x permanent plus cash from the dross could mean 3/4 players extra into our squad which would undoubtedly imrpove our squad / team. 

unless you think the player that will come in are worse than the current ones in their postion? IE Mara, mcarthy and Aribo / smallbone.  

[Chez]

Just now, Kenilworthy said:

Going up or staying down, we were fated to have a difficult season this time round. But I prefer this flavour of difficult. It puts us off becoming Stoke for at least another year.

Yep, much prefer this flavour. We get to see if THB and Downes can `do it' in the prem for starters. The summer window has been fun so far. Plenty of links, a few signing and other bids and in general, all the talk has been about how we can strengthen, not how much weaker we are each week. Pretty much the only negative has been the KWP situation (unless not signing O'Riley has got you down). Such a shame we couldn't get him to sign a new deal (not unexpected) as it would have given us another huge lift. Looking forward to one or two more coming in. Simon Banza still hasn't signed for anyone...

[wild-saint]

8 minutes ago, Kenilworthy said:

Going up or staying down, we were fated to have a difficult season this time round. But I prefer this flavour of difficult. It puts us off becoming Stoke for at least another year.

100% agree. Next season in the EFL if thats what it is will be better than this year in the EFL with a weaker team

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

You have to plan for relegation though - I think the point is they've planned for both in a single strategy. 

We are spending what we can within the financial constraints to create the best possible side. What other alternative strategy might there have been?

I struggle to understand what would be different if we had `totally ignored the possibility of relegation'?  Thats a genuine question. Interested to understand what other paths/choices were available?

[badgerx16]

If KWP staying, and leaving on a free next summer, means we stay up, is that good business?

[beatlesaint]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

If KWP staying, and leaving on a free next summer, means we stay up, is that good business?

Yes because staying up will be worth a hell of a lot more than the 15-20 million he may fetch now.

[Midfield_General]

21 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

It's more about whether we would have to sell them - we have young-ish players with longer contracts. It would be PSR that dictates what we need to sell I would expect. 

Yes, to a point - but they would also still have to want to stay and play for us in the Champ, because we know that keeping players who want to leave rarely works. We were lucky last time that KWP for example is a good lad and didn't agitate for a move - I'm not sure how many other players who know they are good enough to play (and more importantly, earn) at the level above would be so accommodating if it happens again. I think you'd still be looking at losing 4 or 5 of the better players if we went down, which has risk attached.

@Turkish made the fair point about who might stay and who might go, and that we'd probably still have a pretty strong core at that level even if we had to replace THB, Downes etc, but there are no guarantees that the players you are able to attract to replace them are necessarily going to be like-for-like in quality, and we all know that the Champ is a bitch to get out of, however strong you look on paper. Just look at Leeds, and the Championship is full of relegated clubs who haven't been able to get back up and are stuck down there now the PL money has run out. One bad managerial appointment for example and it can all go wrong.

I just wouldn't be too cocky about our innate ability to get promoted again. Everyone thought we had a very strong squad for the Champ last time and it was still a very close-run thing. 

Edited August 12 by Midfield_General

[SaintsFan86]

Apparently Saints are battling Leicester to the signing of Fotis Ioannidis

[Farmer Saint]

10 minutes ago, Chez said:

We are spending what we can within the financial constraints to create the best possible side. What other alternative strategy might there have been?

I struggle to understand what would be different if we had `totally ignored the possibility of relegation'?  Thats a genuine question. Interested to understand what other paths/choices were available?

No, I agree - it's sensible and the correct thing to do. 

[Farmer Saint]

16 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

that's not really true is it? 2 loans and 1 x permanent plus cash from the dross could mean 3/4 players extra into our squad which would undoubtedly imrpove our squad / team. 

unless you think the player that will come in are worse than the current ones in their postion? IE Mara, mcarthy and Aribo / smallbone.  

Loans will only happen at the end of the window when clubs realise no one wants the player permanently. 

[BERMUDASAINT]

Southampton could sign their next Wanyama in £4m ace

https://www.footballfancast.com/southampton-could-sign-their-next-victor-wanyama-pursuit-of-romeo-amane/

.....................................

• Ryan Fraser has allegedly been spotted at Southampton Airport, with the Saints reportedly interested in a permanent deal for the winger.
• Fraser is eager to return to St Mary's after a successful loan spell, and is surplus to requirements at Newcastle with just a year remaining on his contract.
• The Saints are also eyeing Fenerbahçe's Ferdi Kadioglu, but face competition from Nottingham Forest.

.....................................

Southampton are set to do battle with Leicester City for the signature of Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis, sources have told Football Insider.

The Foxes have made a bid of around £23million and are hopeful of securing the 24-year-old’s signature before the 30 August transfer deadline.

.........................

Harwood-Bellis explained: “I think some people get mistaken about how we play and think we’re just passing it for the sake of it.“It’s with a purpose. Sometimes football fans or other people might look and think they’re just trying to play for the sake of it. We’re not.

“If we can do it in one pass, we will. If I think it’s on, I’ll play it. People have seen I like the ball over the top, I probably try it too much in the gaffer’s mind.

“If it’s on, we’ll do it – and everyone’s on the same page. The big thing is, if we try it and it doesn’t come off, we’ll just run hard to win it back.”

Harwood-Bellis is not alone in his complete backing of Martin’s style, with the Southampton squad clearly enjoying playing a way that sees them dominate the ball on a weekly basis.

It will be intriguing to see how that translates to the Premier League, but don’t expect Martin to waver on his beliefs if things aren’t going to plan.

[Toadhall Saint]

11 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Apparently Saints are battling Leicester to the signing of Fotis Ioannidis

https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-southampton-battle-leicester-to-sign-fotis-ioannidis/

[V.Johnathan.Wilson]

Ferdi Kadioglu has two years left so Fenerbahce are probably trying to sell him before his value depreciates significantly due to being on his last year. Transfermarkt quoted as 30m, final price might be higher or lower but sure as hell we are not spending 20+ on a left back even if its one of our four areas of concern. 

[UpweySaint]

1 hour ago, Midfield_General said:

Out of interest, why do people think that if we got relegated we would be able to keep the same team together in order to then storm next season's Championship? 

Surely it would be like any other season - even if we got relegated, any/ most of the players who did well would just get picked off and bought by other clubs. If for example Sugawara turns out to be amazing, he'd almost certainly want to stay in the top division and earn PL money, and someone would buy him. Same with THB or Downes or anyone else half decent. We'd be left with the players that other clubs felt weren't PL quality, and would have to rebuild again with players who were happy to play in the Championship, with all the risks that that involves. 

I'm not sure it's as simple as 'oh well, if we go down then this team would get straight back up again'. 

It’s a fair point though the three you have named all have new contracts and have signed for us full well knowing relegation is a real possibility. You would hope wages would also have sizeable percentage drops too should we go down.

I guess the difference is if we have to sell we are hopefully better placed to do so on our terms without contractual or financial pressures forcing our hand.

If we take THB for example if he proves himself in the prem he becomes a £35-40mil player IMO. Minus a city cut we would still see some profit on him and being able to reinvent- the big trick is doing that well which is where we have gone awry for several years.

I have posted similar before but my overarching view is we are doing sensible business in the window so far. There is more we would like/may do but it’s hard to argue with the likes of Yuki, Woods and Edwards for less than £15 million all in. If any of those three develops into a premier league level player (I think Woods is the least likely) then they are easily worth more than the £15 million alone.

If we went down with a bit of fight I would feel more confident then when we came down at the end of 22/23 and I anticipate many would feel similar.

 

[miserableoldgit]

11 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

that's not really true is it? 2 loans and 1 x permanent plus cash from the dross could mean 3/4 players extra into our squad which would undoubtedly imrpove our squad / team. 

unless you think the player that will come in are worse than the current ones in their postion? IE Mara, mcarthy and Aribo / smallbone.  

You are assumimg that we are able to move the "dross" at a price that suits/helps us......that isn't guaranteed. It would appear that if we fail to do this, we will struggle to improve the team much further. The point is that despite winning "the richest one-off game in World football", we can only improve the team by balancing the books. We have to manage with one hand tied behind our back while watching the "Top Six" spend/waste money like it is going out of fashion. The thought that "we are back in the big time" is often tempered by asking "can we really afford it and is it really worth it?"

[SaintBobby]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

because football club owners these days aren't interested in winning things they're interested in returning a profit or massaging their ego by owning a football club. Anway, what with all the restrictions we've got preventing clubs from breaking into the elite we cant spend it anyway even if we had it.

Very very few make a profit, right?

[Dman]

26 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

If KWP staying, and leaving on a free next summer, means we stay up, is that good business?

KWP isn't going to be the difference between us staying up or not. He's brilliant and arguably our only real PL quality player, but RB's aren't match winners. 

So no. 

[HKsaint]

Let’s buy JWP back. He is now cheaper than O Riley!

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, V.Johnathan.Wilson said:

Ferdi Kadioglu has two years left so Fenerbahce are probably trying to sell him before his value depreciates significantly due to being on his last year. Transfermarkt quoted as 30m, final price might be higher or lower but sure as hell we are not spending 20+ on a left back even if its one of our four areas of concern. 

Unusual link. Perhaps Forrest get him and we take Omar Richards off their hands? Can't see it happening. Ryan Fraser seems to be our main left wing/wingback target and I think we all know that will happen eventually. It's worth noting that we have another three years of Ryan Manning.

 

[sfc4prem]

3 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Let’s buy JWP back. He is now cheaper than O Riley!

I don't see him to be the creative forward spark or the defensive midfield beast that we need, really. He's basically a more technically gifted and fit Smallbone

[Matty's Caddy]

45 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

Yes because staying up will be worth a hell of a lot more than the 15-20 million he may fetch now.

He’s not going for £15M. Not a chance

(IMHO of course)

[Saint86]

You lot are so very negative at times! 

FWIW I think we'll do alright this year unless injuries screw us over. 

The core team are solid enough for this level (bottom end of the prem) and well practiced at keeping the ball. We're going for 5 at the back, hard to beat, knock it around a lot to recycle possession, and lots of low scoring games. We have a style of play that works, that is somewhat unusual for the league, and which works for us. When the full strength teams came on vs lazio and getafe we dominated possession, looked far more assured, and held the sway over chances in both matches.

Yes, we will get bad beats in some games - but we've got a very good morale in the team and we will be able to grind out results. We're not competing with the top team at the end of the day... we're competing with the dross to be 17th.

There are clubs in this league that have been circling the drain - forest and Everton to name a few, wolves and Bournemouth have both just lost key attacking men. Leicester look set for whopping points deduction, and ipswich shouldn't be expecting to do any better than us - and for both us and them, a good start with early momentum will be important. 

Do we need to strengthen attack and GK, yes. But there is still time left.

I also think 2 things will go on our favour over the season -

1.) we'll likely be seen as "easy points" or a rest game for the bigger sides in their busy periods.

2.) the team have been forged in the fire of the promotion chase and the playoffs. We won't bottle big game matches vs rivals. And that is where points will really matter. 

But we aren't going to be rock bottom and adrift with this side, we'll be in games more often than not, BBD and arma will get goals, and as others have said - if the worst happens, the squad will be very solid for the championship. 

Hopefully the fanbase can stay positive and support the team throughout, our new "kop" can make SMS a bit of a fortress (I have my doubts there mind 😅), and with a bit of fight we find ourselves the right side of 18th place come may! 

Edited August 12 by Saint86

[Ken Tone]

2 hours ago, SambaMaverick said:

Strange how we've seemed to accept that Stephens will be a starter for us this season (myself included). I'm not too pleased that we've signed two centre-backs and not improved our options at CB at all.

I think maybe we have improved our options. Edwards especially looks like he'll live up to my Peterborough fan relative's top rating, and anyway we have Bednarek and THB.

It's just that Russel seems to want to play Stephens anyway!

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Out of interest, why do people think that if we got relegated we would be able to keep the same team together in order to then storm next season's Championship? 

Surely it would be like any other season - even if we got relegated, any/ most of the players who did well would just get picked off and bought by other clubs. If for example Sugawara turns out to be amazing, he'd almost certainly want to stay in the top division and earn PL money, and someone would buy him. Same with THB or Downes or anyone else half decent. We'd be left with the players that other clubs felt weren't PL quality, and would have to rebuild again with players who were happy to play in the Championship, with all the risks that that involves. 

I'm not sure it's as simple as 'oh well, if we go down then this team would get straight back up again'. 

I agree with this. We are absolutely bonkers if the thinking is to build a side now that is likely to be relegated but will somehow storm the Championship next season - that's a mad strategy.

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, saintant said:

I agree with this. We are absolutely bonkers if the thinking is to build a side now that is likely to be relegated but will somehow storm the Championship next season - that's a mad strategy.

Absolutely. We went up last year by the skin of our teeth. Absolutely no guarantee that that would happen again. You'd only have to fail to go up once and you're screwed. 

[The Curse of St Mary's]

24 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

You lot are so very negative at times! 

FWIW I think we'll do alright this year unless injuries screw us over. 

The core team are solid enough for this level (bottom end of the prem) and well practiced at keeping the ball. We're going for 5 at the back, hard to beat, knock it around a lot to recycle possession, and lots of low scoring games. We have a style of play that works, that is somewhat unusual for the league, and which works for us. When the full strength teams came on vs lazio and getafe we dominated possession, looked far more assured, and held the sway over chances in both matches.

Yes, we will get bad beats in some games - but we've got a very good morale in the team and we will be able to grind out results. We're not competing with the top team at the end of the day... we're competing with the dross to be 17th.

There are clubs in this league that have been circling the drain - forest and Everton to name a few, wolves and Bournemouth have both just lost key attacking men. Leicester look set for whopping points deduction, and ipswich shouldn't be expecting to do any better than us - and for both us and them, a good start with early momentum will be important. 

Do we need to strengthen attack and GK, yes. But there is still time left.

I also think 2 things will go on our favour over the season -

1.) we'll likely be seen as "easy points" or a rest game for the bigger sides in their busy periods.

2.) the team have been forged in the fire of the promotion chase and the playoffs. We won't bottle big game matches vs rivals. And that is where points will really matter. 

But we aren't going to be rock bottom and adrift with this side, we'll be in games more often than not, BBD and arma will get goals, and as others have said - if the worst happens, the squad will be very solid for the championship. 

Hopefully the fanbase can stay positive and support the team throughout, our new "kop" can make SMS a bit of a fortress (I have my doubts there mind 😅), and with a bit of fight we find ourselves the right side of 18th place come may! 

People need to cast their minds back to the relegation season and the reports of dressing room unrest. It came out there was a French speaking clique and that the dressing room was split. So I agree that one thing is for sure this seasons squad will have a togetherness which alone can be invaluable. If we can get a GK, midfielder and attacker we will be much better placed to compete. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

The club probably aren’t overly bother by KWP staying or going, I think if he stays he’ll extend his contract by a year or two.

If he goes as FFP goes he counts for 100% pure profit as he would’ve been with the club for over a set number of years (I think it’s five).

Whereas say we sold Harwood-Bellis or Downes next summer, yes the money would be in the accounts but the percentage would actually be in detriment to FFP.

This is why you see so many twelve years old be signed and sold between Everton, Chelsea, Aston Villa etc, it’s effectively a way to up your FFP.

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

The club probably aren’t overly bother by KWP staying or going, I think if he stays he’ll extend his contract by a year or two.

If he goes as FFP goes he counts for 100% pure profit as he would’ve been with the club for over a set number of years (I think it’s five).

Whereas say we sold Harwood-Bellis or Downes next summer, yes the money would be in the accounts but the percentage would actually be in detriment to FFP.

This is why you see so many twelve years old be signed and sold between Everton, Chelsea, Aston Villa etc, it’s effectively a way to up your FFP.

What is difference between 100% profit and 100% pure profit?

[Chewy]

6 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

What is difference between 100% profit and 100% pure profit?

It’s whether the profits been cut with anything 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, sfc4prem said:

I don't see him to be the creative forward spark or the defensive midfield beast that we need, really. He's basically a more technically gifted and fit Smallbone

Agree. Not sure JWP is what we need now. 

[Saintsfan79]

Raheem Sterling is available if Chelsea sign Felix 🤒

[trousers]

On 04/07/2024 at 13:06, LeG said:

It turns out that Adam Lallana might not be the only ex saints midfielder returning to the club. This one makes a lot of sense to me. Just an enquiry at this stage though.

 

On 04/07/2024 at 23:58, LeG said:

I've enjoyed Reeding all the suggestions.

 

Hi @LeG - any news on our interest in signing Reed? Assume the trail has gone cold since you posted about it last month? Cheers

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Is Mitchell Rankin a member of the COT?

”Must stress this was in departures with a plane back to Newcastle which I’m assuming he was on. He said to my dad when he saw him that he loved it here last season, and it’s here or no where. Make of that what you will.”

 

[Daft Kerplunk]

2 hours ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

THB

“If we can do it in one pass, we will. If I think it’s on, I’ll play it. People have seen I like the ball over the top, I probably try it too much in the gaffer’s mind.

 

Worrying when this is often the only time we actually create any goal scoring opportunities!

[hypochondriac]

2 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

You have to plan for relegation though - I think the point is they've planned for both in a single strategy. 

Planning for both scenarios is exactly what we should do. It isn't assuming we will get relegated and acting accordingly though which is what some seem to be suggesting. 

[Farmer Saint]

9 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Planning for both scenarios is exactly what we should do. It isn't assuming we will get relegated and acting accordingly though which is what some seem to be suggesting. 

Yeah, absolutely - they're doing the correct thing. The most likely scenario is we go down though as we were never able to compete this season when our spine was on loan (as I have repeated as nauseum since last September). 

[Saint Matty 76]

Don't believe the 30m rumours about that striker but asked my Greek mate who said the following -

"The striker? I like him tbh, had a bit of a breakout season last season. He’s definitely a hard worker but not the most technical striker in the world, kinda reminds me of Shane long if my memory doesn’t deceive me"

[Patches O Houlihan]

According to Bild, Eintracht Frankfurt are the latest side to express their interest in Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap.

Hopefully a bit of competition for ABK will see his sale price rise

[CSA96]

BILD saying Eintracht Frankfurt are interested in a deal for Armel Bella-Kotchap now, Hoffenheim also looking at Oumar Solet from RB Salzburg