Summer Transfer Window 2024

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

He didn't want to come to is on our terms earlier in the window.

However...

If it's true that WH are terminating his contract, and we make him an offer that's better than any others he receives, then he could well change his mind.

Indeed. There's a difference between "I don't want to play for Saints ever again under any circumstances" and "Yes, I'd happily play for Saints again if the wages were competitive". Some people seem to be conflating the latter with the former...?

Edited August 29 by trousers

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, Chez said:

Isn't he basically the first reserve CM? Why would they let him go?

Apparently WHU aren't actively looking to sell him, but he has been told he's 3rd/4th choice behind Gudio (they brought him in on a free), Soucek and Alverez. So they're allowing JWP to explore opportunities as he's told them he wants to play, as the new manager doesn't see him as a first choice and maybe not even 2nd.

I still don't believe we have any space or opening for him though, but the idea we've gone in for Ramsdale on a perm and leaving a loan slot free is intriguing.

Edited August 29 by S-Clarke

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

Indeed. There's a difference between "I don't want to play for Saints ever again under any circumstances" and "Yes, I'd happily play for Saints again if the wages were competitive". Some people seem to be conflating the latter with the former...?

Yep. I reckon West ham were trying to push him out the door, we are offering him much lower wages and his response was basically no I'm staying put and getting the wages I've signed up to. Which is fair enough. That equation may change if he's out of West ham anyway with a payoff. 

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

I'd add Smallbone to that list as well. 

 

2 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Maybe but almost zero chance we sell him. 

Would a last minute loan to a championship side (his natural level IMO) be out of the question do we think? Especially if there's any truth in the JWP rumours?

[Billy the Kidd]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Apparently WHU aren't actively looking to sell him, but he has been told he's 3rd/4th choice behind Gudio (they brought him in on a free), Soucek and Alverez. So they're allowing JWP to explore opportunities as he's told them he wants to play, as the new manager doesn't see him as a first choice and maybe not even 2nd.

I still don't believe we have any space or opening for him though, but the idea we've gone in for Ramsdale on a perm and leaving a loan slot free is intriguing.

I’m not sure it wil happen, but he’d be an upgrade on Smallbone and Aribo. And Smallbone would count 100% towards PSR. Did we get Aribo on a free? Or did we pay like £7m on him?

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

 

Would a last minute loan to a championship side (his natural level IMO) be out of the question do we think? Especially if there's any truth in the JWP rumours?

Personally I'd love it but it would require a level of ruthlessness that in my opinion the club doesn't possess. 

[a1ex2001]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

 

Would a last minute loan to a championship side (his natural level IMO) be out of the question do we think? Especially if there's any truth in the JWP rumours?

Would be a good move for me, JWP is a better player than smallbone any day of the week. If he has a good season on loan and we stay up then sell him if we go down he comes back in to help us get back to the prem.

[Sheaf Saint]

Just now, trousers said:

 

Would a last minute loan to a championship side (his natural level IMO) be out of the question do we think? Especially if there's any truth in the JWP rumours?

This is my thoughts as well. I like Smallbone - he's a tidy player with some good technical skill, but he doesn't seem to have the engine required to perform in the PL.

He played a key role in getting us promoted, but similar to the situation with Hammond last time we came up, there's no room for sentimentality. 

If we could loan him out and bring JWP back, that would be perfect.

[beatlesaint]

7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Apparently WHU aren't actively looking to sell him, but he has been told he's 3rd/4th choice behind Gudio (they brought him in on a free), Soucek and Alverez. So they're allowing JWP to explore opportunities as he's told them he wants to play, as the new manager doesn't see him as a first choice and maybe not even 2nd.

I still don't believe we have any space or opening for him though, but the idea we've gone in for Ramsdale on a perm and leaving a loan slot free is intriguing.

Surely that loan spot will be used on a striker/attacking player ? If they used it on JWP the loan for Big Les was a waste wasnt it ?

 

[Lighthouse]

1 minute ago, Sheaf Saint said:

This is my thoughts as well. I like Smallbone - he's a tidy player with some good technical skill, but he doesn't seem to have the engine required to perform in the PL.

He played a key role in getting us promoted, but similar to the situation with Hammond last time we came up, there's no room for sentimentality. 

If we could loan him out and bring JWP back, that would be perfect.

I don’t disagree with that as such, the problem is that I’m not sure JWP would be guaranteed first team starts here either. We’re probably looking Les, Fernandes and Downes starting with Aribo on the bench.

[Patches O Houlihan]

47 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Watched different full backs to me then.

I agree the fullbacks had a good game, but we could do with Taylor getting a little closer to his winger to block crosses from coming in. Looked Ryan Manning-esque in one or two moments

Edited August 29 by Patches O Houlihan

[Patches O Houlihan]

20 minutes ago, Chez said:

While we are are all patting ourselves on the back, I'd like to hold my hands up and say that, with the McCarthy two year deal I didn't think we'd get a first choice keeper in. Looks like I couldn't have been more wrong.

Assuming we are not paying McCarthy the earth and Lumley is on buttons, the challenge and cost of bringing in keepers for all Prem clubs this summer may explain why we didn't completely reboot the keeping unit with three new guys. 

 

On 11/08/2024 at 09:12, Patches O Houlihan said:

Maybe after a season with Baz in the sticks for RM, and now with 2 seasons of data to analyse, the club have quietly recognised that they were wrong to put him in the firing line so early. Maybe they sign a keeper on a 5 year contract, we keep him for 3. McCarthy is back up this season, and Baz back up for the 2 after. Then that keeper is sold and Baz becomes our no1 again?

I've nothing to back that up, but it's what I'd consider, assuming we were confident we could get Baz onboard with it

😉

[Sheaf Saint]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I don’t disagree with that as such, the problem is that I’m not sure JWP would be guaranteed first team starts here either. We’re probably looking Les, Fernandes and Downes starting with Aribo on the bench.

Fernandes had a good game last night against the Cardiff reserve team. But I think it's a little premature to be suggesting he should be a regular starter ahead of a proven PL player like JWP.

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Fernandes had a good game last night against the Cardiff reserve team. But I think it's a little premature to be suggesting he should be a regular starter ahead of a proven PL player like JWP.

Fernandes and to a lesser extent Big Les were demonstrating the quick feet and one touch passing that is necessary to make RM's style work in the PL. JWP can turn his hand to it from time to time, but doesn't look like he's been brought up playing that way like these two do. 

The quicker we can play, the more effective the style is; the issue of course being that you need skilled players, or else accept that mistakes will happen. It's crucial that we have a midfielder that can get balls through to Archer/BBD/Arma/AN Other Striker/LND otherwise our game goes nowhere, like we saw against Forest. 

If we can afford it I would love to have JWP back. But I think a striker or tricky winger is further up the priority list.

[S-Clarke]

23 minutes ago, Billy the Kidd said:

I’m not sure it wil happen, but he’d be an upgrade on Smallbone and Aribo. And Smallbone would count 100% towards PSR. Did we get Aribo on a free? Or did we pay like £7m on him?

£7m to Rangers I believe.

I can't see either of those going though, certainly not Smallbone as Martin loves him (he's been given JWP's old number too). I don't see a gap for JWP, he'll probably end up at Forest.

[Dman]

I can't help but think who else we might have been able to sign (i.e would the extra £4m made a difference to getting O'riely, as an example), had we not wasted money on Wood. Bloke looks abaolsutely useless. 

[SambaMaverick]

As much as I don't think Smallbone should play every week, selling/loaning him would fly in the face of everything we're about as a club imo

He's earned a chance to mix it this season, and is he really that much worse than JWP (barring the set-pieces)?

[Sunglasses Ron]

Just now, Dman said:

I can't help but think who else we might have been able to sign (i.e would the extra £4m made a difference to getting O'riely, as an example), had we not wasted money on Wood. Bloke looks abaolsutely useless. 

Dead wood?

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

As much as I don't think Smallbone should play every week, selling/loaning him would fly in the face of everything we're about as a club imo

He's earned a chance to mix it this season, and is he really that much worse than JWP (barring the set-pieces)?

Yes he's definitely worse. I agree with you though, not a chance the club won't use him this season. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

As much as I don't think Smallbone should play every week, selling/loaning him would fly in the face of everything we're about as a club imo

He's earned a chance to mix it this season, and is he really that much worse than JWP (barring the set-pieces)?

We are a football club not a charity. If better players become available at a price we can do business at then we should look to get them in. This bollocks about earning chances is what gets you relegated. Armstrong, Smallbone, Stephens and Aribo should not be starting games for us this season. 

[trousers]

27 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I don’t disagree with that as such, the problem is that I’m not sure JWP would be guaranteed first team starts here either. We’re probably looking Les, Fernandes and Downes starting with Aribo on the bench.

It just so happens that I'm lobbying the PL, the FA and FIFA for an emergency change to the laws of the game so that clubs can bring on a player temporarily to take free-kicks as many times as required during the game. I'll keep you posted.

[Matthew Le God]

Zakaria Aboukhlal

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Southampton-cible-zakaria-aboukhlal-toulouse/1504171

 

[SambaMaverick]

2 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

We are a football club not a charity. If better players become available at a price we can do business at then we should look to get them in. This bollocks about earning chances is what gets you relegated. Armstrong, Smallbone, Stephens and Aribo should not be starting games for us this season. 

Yeah that's why I said I don't want him playing every week

[trousers]

39 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

This is my thoughts as well. I like Smallbone - he's a tidy player with some good technical skill, but he doesn't seem to have the engine required to perform in the PL.

He played a key role in getting us promoted, but similar to the situation with Hammond last time we came up, there's no room for sentimentality. 

If we could loan him out and bring JWP back, that would be perfect.

 

8 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

We are a football club not a charity. If better players become available at a price we can do business at then we should look to get them in. This bollocks about earning chances is what gets you relegated. Armstrong, Smallbone, Stephens and Aribo should not be starting games for us this season. 

Sheaf nails it on the head there. The Hammond situation is exactly how we should be proceeding. What's best for the club has to come before undivided loyalty to certain players. It's a ruthless league that requires ruthless action, not sentimentality....

Edited August 29 by trousers

[Toussaint]

13 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

As much as I don't think Smallbone should play every week, selling/loaning him would fly in the face of everything we're about as a club imo

He's earned a chance to mix it this season, and is he really that much worse than JWP (barring the set-pieces)?

Maybe that’s why we are perennial strugglers? I don’t feel sentimental about Smallbone, or many others for that matter. Cut him lose if there’s better available.

[Dman]

38 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

This is my thoughts as well. I like Smallbone - he's a tidy player with some good technical skill, but he doesn't seem to have the engine required to perform in the PL.

He played a key role in getting us promoted, but similar to the situation with Hammond last time we came up, there's no room for sentimentality. 

If we could loan him out and bring JWP back, that would be perfect.

Same can be said about the links to Fraser. Absolutely no benefit / value / need in us making a move for him. 

[austsaint]

 

3 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

5 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

As much as I don't think Smallbone should play every week, selling/loaning him would fly in the face of everything we're about as a club imo

He's earned a chance to mix it this season, and is he really that much worse than JWP (barring the set-pieces)?

 

I'm not a great fan of bringing JWP back - there's a greater need for an attacking player or two.   I also believe that Downes is a better outfield player than JWP these days, dead ball delivery aside.  But I would have JWP back in a flash as an upgrade on Will Smallbone.    I see the next few games as a real test of RM's judgement.   If he had something to do with the recruitment of Fernandes and the loan of Les Ugo then I applaud him; but if he doesn't start them almost immediately (and up the game time of Dibling)  in preference to WS and Airibo then there are grounds to question his grasp of the best starting X1.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

11 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

Yeah that's why I said I don't want him playing every week

You did. But that being the case, why keep him here? If there is interest in him, move him on. 

[Midfield_General]

20 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Zakaria Aboukhlal

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Southampton-cible-zakaria-aboukhlal-toulouse/1504171

 

Translation: 

Southampton targets Zakaria Aboukhlal (Toulouse)
The English club Southampton, promoted to the Premier League, is working to convince Toulouse to let its Moroccan international Zakaria Aboukhlal leave.
In the process of recruiting Norwegian winger Joshua King, Toulouse is being attacked on one of its players playing in the same position. 
TFC has indeed opened discussions with Southampton, very motivated by the idea of recruiting Zakaria Aboukhlal in the last hours of the transfer window, as explained by Foot Mercato. 
If nothing has been done yet, the promoted to the Premier League hopes to move quickly on the Moroccan international, still tied to the club of the Pink City for two seasons.
Aboukhlal had already attracted the covetousness of British clubs last summer, notably Brighton, at a time when TFC was not necessarily opposed to the idea of parting with him, a few weeks after the controversial episode of the day against homophobia. 

The 2022 World Cup semi-finalist then had a very consistent start to the season (3 goals in 5 L1 matches) before suffering a cruciate ligament rupture in his right knee. He returned to competition last March.

 

Edited August 29 by Midfield_General

[Saint Scott]

 

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, Saint Scott said:

 

Probably speculating, but some Brighton journos and fans are suggesting it's a really bad one and he's out for the season, maybe longer.

What a crap stroke of luck that is. That's the lottery of any transfer though, but that Crawley player should be retrospectively banned for that tackle. 

[Suhari]

1 minute ago, Saint Scott said:

 

Have to feel for him after his big move.

But also, really glad it's not us in this situation.

[Patches O Houlihan]

16 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Zakaria Aboukhlal

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Southampton-cible-zakaria-aboukhlal-toulouse/1504171

 

Aboukhlal had already fueled the lusts of British clubs last summer, especially Brighton, at a time when the TFC was not necessarily opposed to the idea of separating from it, a few weeks after the controversial episode of the day against homophobia. The semi-finalist of the 2022 World Cup then had a very consistent start to the season (3 goals in 5 L1 matches) before being the victim of a ruptured of a cruciate ligament in the right knee. He returned to the competition last March.

Normally he is a right winger. But in the cup final that they won he played as a 10 and scored Toulouse's 5th

We may have some issues with regard to misogeny and he's unlikely to play in our rainbow kit

Although he plays for Morocco he was born and has lived his life in The Netherlands (Moroccan & Libyan parents) playing for the Dutch at Junior levels.

[Midfield_General]

A historic cruciate injury and incidents in the past sparked by being sexist to women and refusing to wear rainbow laces in a stand against homophobia.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/14/toulouse-players-left-out-of-squad-after-refusal-to-offer-lgbt-support 

https://www.marca.com/en/football/ligue-1/2023/05/16/646354d1e2704ed5528b458b.html

This should be a fun discussion 🤔🔫

Edited August 29 by Midfield_General

[lambtiss]

8 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

 

Sh

 

Shocker of a tackle. It's a shame as I would like to have seen how he played in the PL.

[Turkish]

3 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

A historic cruciate injury and an incident in the past sparked by refusing to wear rainbow laces in a stand against homophobia.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/14/toulouse-players-left-out-of-squad-after-refusal-to-offer-lgbt-support 

This should be a fun discussion 🤔🔫

“Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem. It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own personal beliefs. Hence, I don’t believe I am the most suitable person to participate in this campaign.”

👏

[Umlaut]

10 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

 

Normally he is a right winger. But in the cup final that they won he played as a 10 and scored Toulouse's 5th

We may have some issues with regard to misogeny and he's unlikely to play in our rainbow kit

 

Right winger on and off the field

[hippo]

Just now, Turkish said:

“Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem. It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own personal beliefs. Hence, I don’t believe I am the most suitable person to participate in this campaign.”

👏

Beautifully worded sugarcoating of homophobia. 

 👏

[Turkish]

Just now, hippo said:

Beautifully worded sugarcoating of homophobia. 

 👏

why should people be forced to wear rainbow laces if they dont agree with it? 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, hippo said:

Beautifully worded sugarcoating of homophobia. 

 👏

Is not wanting to wear rainbow laces homophobic then? 

[Patches O Houlihan]

Looking at Aboukhlal's TransferMkt page it looks like he has only played 8 games since his injury, and hasn't played a full 90 minutes yet. No goals in that time. 3 goals in the 5 games he played at the start of last season before his injury in September. 

Is he the same player? Do we have any secret Toulouse supporters lurking here?

Edited August 29 by Patches O Houlihan
He's played 90 mins in both games this season. So hopefully ok fitness wise

[hippo]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

why should people be forced to wear rainbow laces if they dont agree with it? 

Not sure I said anywhere that he should be forced.

I’m just within my rights to call him for a prick for not wanting to show even an inkling of support to the campaign. 

[trousers]

I've heard some say that we have nothing Toulouse by signing this fella, but I'm not so sure...

Edited August 29 by trousers

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

I've heard some say that we have nothing Toulose by signing this fella, but I'm not so sure...

we might lose literally tens of rainbow saints.

[hypochondriac]

8 minutes ago, hippo said:

Not sure I said anywhere that he should be forced.

I’m just within my rights to call him for a prick for not wanting to show even an inkling of support to the campaign. 

That's pretty intolerant of you. 

[sadoldgit]

24 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

Shocker of a tackle. It's a shame as I would like to have seen how he played in the PL.

I was hacked down from behind when I was about 27. I tried to play on in the hope that it was a mild sprain. My ankle blew up like a ballon so I had to leave the pitch. Foolishly I didn’t bother to go to A & E as, even back in the later 70’s the waiting list was long. It didn’t get any better and after a 5 mile hike several months last I decided to have it looked at. An x-ray revealed a healing fracture along with ankle ligament damage. That was effectively the end of my football career. My ankle is still painful over 40 years later.

He will have the best care of course and hopefully he will make a full recovery, but serious ligament injuries are not very forgiving, especially in an arena like the PL.

Edited August 29 by sadoldgit
Added text

[sadoldgit]

12 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Is not wanting to wear rainbow laces homophobic then? 

It depends on exactly what his personal belief’s are doesn’t it?

[saintant]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Yep. I reckon West ham were trying to push him out the door, we are offering him much lower wages and his response was basically no I'm staying put and getting the wages I've signed up to. Which is fair enough. That equation may change if he's out of West ham anyway with a payoff. 

The most I'd offer Ings is a pay per play deal - take it or leave it. Obviously he'd take the latter option.

[Pat from Poole]

10 minutes ago, Turkish said:

we might lose literally tens of rainbow saints.

He'll love our pink kit then.

Speaking as another person blocked by Alex Crook BTW (just catching up on last night's posts on this thread, having been at Cardiff; my sin was to dispute both his sources and his grammar.....)

[hypochondriac]

1 minute ago, sadoldgit said:

It depends on exactly what his personal belief’s are doesn’t it?

Yes but simply calling him a prick because he doesn't want to wear the laces is not on imo. I thought he explained himself rather well.