Summer Transfer Window 2024

[ErwinK1961]

18 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

 

 

Not sure there’s room for him TBH.

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

I’m sure he would be.  A West Ham ITK told me a couple of weeks ago he’d likely leave on loan. (Obviously West Ham would prefer a permanent).

I don't think he will be back but if he did come back a loan with obligation to buy if we stay up makes sense for all parties surely? 

Edited August 20 by hypochondriac

[Midfield_General]

On £100k per week at West Ham. Not sure he'd want to take a wage cut just yet (he's 29), even if we wanted him back. 

[HKsaint]

let’s take him back. JWP is our legend and will take all our free kick and break the record.should be able to take him back for a half of the fee we received. 

[UpweySaint]

I would take JWP back in a heartbeat. I think he would excel under Martin if we can’t get MOR and he would certainly add character and experience to the group. The goal threat from free kicks also can’t be ignored. We know we won’t score loads so they could be a real difference maker.

Loan with an option would suit us well and keep readies for a permanent keeper. I get the idea of loaning one but I think it doesn’t hurt to be ruthless. Get a potential no1 in - him and Macca can compete until Baz is back then he has genuine competition/somebody good to learn from orrrr could feasibly go on loan - he’s young enough that a year on loan after a long term injury isn’t the worst thing in the world.

[ally_uk]

Yeah Prowse back allday long 👍 

[Saint Fan CaM]

9 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Southgate was never going to pick him. I wonder who advised him?

Yes my thoughts entirely, so for me the whole back story stinks of BS. JWP didn’t want to lose his EPL status and so jumped thinking Saints wouldn’t be back in one season. He abandoned the club that gave so much to him at the first sign of trouble, didn’t take responsibility for the shitshow he helped serve up that season and was Captain too all of which leaves a bad taste in the mouth. If it weren’t for his excellent free-kick ability I’d rather see Downes or Smallbone in our central midfield…he moved on, we’ve moved on…it’s a no from me.

[ant]

Had a sobering moment just now realising what we've already spent this window and how far the squad realistically is from where it needs to be.

INS:
Harwood-Bellis: £20m
Downes: £18m
Archer: £15m
Fernandes(?): £13m+?
Brereton Diaz: £7m
Sugawara: £5.9m
Wood: £3m
Edwards: £3m
Taylor: Free
Lallana: Free

Total: £84.9m

OUTS:
Lyanco: £4m
Caleta-Car: £3m
Perraud: £3m
Adams: Released
Armstrong: Released

TOTAL: £10m

POSSIBLE OUTS:

£10m for Mara(!)
£7m for Onuachu(?)
£13m for ABK (based on Hoffenheim?)
£15m for KWP(?)
£12m for Alcaraz(?)
??? (£5m?) for Aribo

TOTAL: ~£62m

Even IF we can get this we've probably spent money we don't have (and what will it cost to plug the most obvious gaps?)

Hmm.

[SaintsFan86]

JWP would be a excellent welcome back, If he wants to come back that is. Just dont give him the armband.

[trousers]

I'm not going to give a definitive opinion on whether or not we should welcome JWP back until we've heard from the oracle on such matters.... calling @Lord Duckhunter to the main board please... 

[OldNick]

Oh god, JWP it is bad enough playing the ball back and sideways as it is. At least we are now progressing the ball forward more often if JWP came back would that be the same.

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, ant said:

Had a sobering moment just now realising what we've already spent this window and how far the squad realistically is from where it needs to be.

INS:
Harwood-Bellis: £20m
Downes: £18m
Archer: £15m
Fernandes(?): £13m+?
Brereton Diaz: £7m
Sugawara: £5.9m
Wood: £3m
Edwards: £3m
Taylor: Free
Lallana: Free

Total: £84.9m

OUTS:
Lyanco: £4m
Caleta-Car: £3m
Perraud: £3m
Adams: Released
Armstrong: Released

TOTAL: £10m

POSSIBLE OUTS:

£10m for Mara(!)
£7m for Onuachu(?)
£13m for ABK (based on Hoffenheim?)
£15m for KWP(?)
£12m for Alcaraz(?)
??? (£5m?) for Aribo

TOTAL: ~£62m

Even IF we can get this we've probably spent money we don't have (and what will it cost to plug the most obvious gaps?)

Hmm.

Spent money we don't have? If we sold all those you're suggesting then we have only spent ten million net this summer which is relatively little. 

[ErwinK1961]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

I'm not going to give a definitive opinion on whether or not we should welcome JWP back until we've heard from the oracle on such matters.... calling @Lord Duckhunter to the main board please... 

[Challenger]

6 hours ago, trousers said:

For Christ's sake don't offer that one on the right a salad for his lunch or he'll get a bit punchy.

[Saint Matty 76]

JWP is on another level to Smallbone/Aribo. If he was available on loan and wanted to come back it'd be a complete no brainer.

[HarvSFC]

JWP would be the ex-player who would make the most sense bringing back this summer. He dominated the Sheffield Wednesday match in his only appearance last season, albeit at a lower level and Sheffield Wednesday started last season terribly.

However, there are also quite a few drawbacks. Number one being we are now stacked in his position, specifically with ball recyclers who do his job. JWP's an upgrade on Smallbone, but we're going to continue developing Smallbone here, so no room at the inn. Number two being that while JWP would be an upgrade, he's not THAT much of an upgrade. His free kick's are world class, but other parts of his game are lacking. He wouldn't have got into our best Premier League midfield (Davis, Wanyama, Schneiderlin) and if you want to move into the top half of the Premier League, JWP in the middle doesn't cut it, which is why he's no longer needed at West Ham. We were slightly handicapped with JWP, as we were never going to replace him, he needed to leave on his own accord for that to happen, and he did. And then number three, JWP made his decision to up and leave last season because we were in a bad place and he didn't want to give the club or management a chance to see if they could turn it around, chasing an England cap that he had no chance of getting even with his impressive form at the start of last season. We're now in a good place again, and it suits him again...

[Chewy]

JWP plays the same position as Aribo and Smallbone and is patently an upgrade on them. We also scored basically no goals the last time we were in the PL except for his free kicks. 
So he adds a goal threat we lack and improves the team. He’s also a RM type player, with bags of experience we lack.

As much of a no-brainer as Ramsdale.  However, I suspect we don’t have the cash for either, let alone both (wages as a loan before we even think about a fee), so about as unlikely as Targett. 
Of course, I wait for our friend from Fareham to tell us what will happen 

[Saints4Prem]

I'd welcome JWP back as he always played best when further forward and a scored a few goals especially from free kicks. His goal contribution may be a great bonus at the end of the season.

 

[Tom]

If he was going to come back he would be here already. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

7 minutes ago, Chewy said:

JWP plays the same position as Aribo and Smallbone and is patently an upgrade on them. We also scored basically no goals the last time we were in the PL except for his free kicks. 
So he adds a goal threat we lack and improves the team. He’s also a RM type player, with bags of experience we lack.

As much of a no-brainer as Ramsdale.  However, I suspect we don’t have the cash for either, let alone both (wages as a loan before we even think about a fee), so about as unlikely as Targett. 
Of course, I wait for our friend from Fareham to tell us what will happen 

I'd quite happily move both Smallbone and Aribo on to accommodate JWP. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

I don’t see this happening personally, more the fact that he’s kind of part of the old guard and we’ve moved forward.

Would Russ want him? Would some of his teammates want him?

Would Stephens feel threatened if poster boy returned?

Lots of questions. I’d take him, he isn’t groundbreaking by any means but you know what you get with him, stick him on lower wages and a low transfer fee.

I echo Tom’s thoughts, if he really wanted to be here he would be by now. Equally beggars can’t be choosers so if he is that desperate for a return then the club could offer very little.

 

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

58 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

On £100k per week at West Ham. Not sure he'd want to take a wage cut just yet (he's 29), even if we wanted him back. 

I think JWP was already on a 100k in his last couple of seasons with us - as our best paid player. If he wants back to Saints , being nearer his family (based in Pmouth area), I think we should negotiate a deal if financially possible.

Edited August 20 by Kristian Loekkegaard

[St Chalet]

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

[Midfield_General]

I'll say it again - JWP is on £100k a week at West Ham. Does anyone think we're going to pay that, or think that he'd take a pay cut to come back when he's in the prime of his career at 29? 

It's not happening, in the same way that Ramsdale's not happening. We're not in the market to pay anyone those sort of wages, regardless of whether there's transfer fee, loan deal or anything else. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, St Chalet said:

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

That's fuckin laughable. Aribo as a top earner. Criminal. 

[ant]

48 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Spent money we don't have? If we sold all those you're suggesting then we have only spent ten million net this summer which is relatively little. 

Implies we started with the accounts anywhere near in the black.

Hint: we didn't.

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

5 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

Ok, then JWP must take a pay cut if he wants to come back. These players are ridiculously overpaid, and I can see JWP realizing that he has to play for less money if he wants the move.

Edited August 20 by Kristian Loekkegaard

[Ken Tone]

55 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Yes my thoughts entirely, so for me the whole back story stinks of BS. JWP didn’t want to lose his EPL status and so jumped thinking Saints wouldn’t be back in one season. He abandoned the club that gave so much to him at the first sign of trouble, didn’t take responsibility for the shitshow he helped serve up that season and was Captain too all of which leaves a bad taste in the mouth. If it weren’t for his excellent free-kick ability I’d rather see Downes or Smallbone in our central midfield…he moved on, we’ve moved on…it’s a no from me.

OR..... he allowed himself to be sold so the club could get in a transfer fee and stop paying him £100k a week, so we could avoid going broke.

He's not like Lallana or Van Dijk, agitating to leave ...... as far as we fans can tell.

[Disco Stu]

Gutted to see KWP off if that's true. He was key to the system we were utlising in the first 45 on Saturday. I can't see Charlie Taylor playing that role effectively, nor Matt Targett if he's the replacement. Manning should be sold.

[beatlesaint]

5 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

Good grief........he's not worth that honour if true 

[Kristian Loekkegaard]

3 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Gutted to see KWP off if that's true. He was key to the system we were utlising in the first 45 on Saturday. I can't see Charlie Taylor playing that role effectively, nor Matt Targett if he's the replacement. Manning should be sold.

KWP off? 

[Saint Scott]

8 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

JWP was on £100k at Saints, i'm pretty sure that increased to £115k when he joined West Ham.

[goodymatt]

10 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

I think our top earner is currently Aribo on £70k p/w - Not sure we'd be covering JWP's wages at £100k.

I recall the transfer fee was only about £5/6m and so he got inflated wages. Still seems a bit steep though doesn’t it!

[Hengistbury Header]

8 minutes ago, Ken Tone said:

OR..... he allowed himself to be sold so the club could get in a transfer fee and stop paying him £100k a week, so we could avoid going broke.

He's not like Lallana or Van Dijk, agitating to leave ...... as far as we fans can tell.

This.

[Disco Stu]

2 minutes ago, Kristian Loekkegaard said:

KWP off? 

Graeme Bailey suggesting we're chasing Matt Targett and some are speculating that could mean KWP is off. Hopefully there's nothing in it. As I say, I don't think we can play the system we started with on Saturday without him or a very good replacement.

[St Chalet]

Not sure how accurate, but we are 19/20 in the payroll stakes.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/southampton-fc/cap/_/year/2024

 

 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

I recall the transfer fee was only about £5/6m and so he got inflated wages. Still seems a bit steep though doesn’t it!

Absolutely. 

[hypochondriac]

18 minutes ago, ant said:

Implies we started with the accounts anywhere near in the black.

Hint: we didn't.

We have multiple millions coming in this year. A ten million net spend is not spending millions we don't have. 

[Turkish]

27 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

That's fuckin laughable. Aribo as a top earner. Criminal. 

Not as laughable as when our two highest paid players were McCarthy and Forster

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Not as laughable as when our two highest paid players were McCarthy and Forster

Maybe not. But still outrageous. Especially when KWP is probably sitting on half that. 

[Saint Matty 76]

Aribo (much like most of the team) had a relegation clause which took him down 40% to £40k p/w. Not sure if he had a mirroring promotion clause which took him back to the original number, however.

Interested to know how much of his £80k McCarthy got back on the renewal…

[DT]

It’s a good job JWP never left as we don’t have to get him back

😂

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Maybe not. But still outrageous. Especially when KWP is probably sitting on half that. 

yep, crazy money really. I think he's better than people give him credit for but our highest paid player lol.

[Midfield_General]

39 minutes ago, Kristian Loekkegaard said:

Ok, then JWP must take a pay cut if he wants to come back. These players are ridiculously overpaid, and I can see JWP realizing that he has to play for less money if he wants the move.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that's how footballers (or their agents) think

[Lee On Solent Saint]

17 minutes ago, Turkish said:

yep, crazy money really. I think he's better than people give him credit for but our highest paid player lol.

He was pretty average in our relegation season, be interesting to see if he gets a better handle on it this season. Assuming he stays that is. 

[Ekelund]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I don’t see this happening personally, more the fact that he’s kind of part of the old guard and we’ve moved forward.

Would Russ want him? Would some of his teammates want him?

Would Stephens feel threatened if poster boy returned?

Lots of questions. I’d take him, he isn’t groundbreaking by any means but you know what you get with him, stick him on lower wages and a low transfer fee.

I echo Tom’s thoughts, if he really wanted to be here he would be by now. Equally beggars can’t be choosers so if he is that desperate for a return then the club could offer very little.

 

After the last summer window it sounds to me as though JWP is coming back! 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

I'd be very happy to see a JWP return. A versatile midfielder with bags of PL experience, and set piece specialist. Yes, please.

45 minutes ago, St Chalet said:

Not sure how accurate, but we are 19/20 in the payroll stakes.

https://www.spotrac.com/epl/southampton-fc/cap/_/year/2024

 

 

And generally, you end up in the bracket your wage outlay suggests you'll be in.  SR have set their stall out to buck this outcome. Partly by bringing in younger players on lower wages, who happen to be incredibly talented so we stay up, while selling them on. Then repeat the process.

In practice, they did lower the individual wages. However panicked buying of lots of additional players, made it a false economy, that also got us relegated.

[warsash saint]

10 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

He was pretty average in our relegation season, be interesting to see if he gets a better handle on it this season. Assuming he stays that is. 

JWP or Aribo??

Can't get the West Ham away game out of my head in the relegation season when JWP just strolled around like a headless chicken!!

Edited August 20 by warsash saint

[egg]

6 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

JWP or Aribo??

Can't get the West Ham away game out of my head in the relegation season when JWP just strolled around like a headless chicken!!

JWP was told fairly early that season that he was being sold n the summer. I thought his attitude was superb considering that. 

[CSA96]