Summer Transfer Window 2024

[SNSUN]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Bednarek operated very well in the prem at times. 

One of our better players last season. If we were a Prem team linked with one of the better performing centre backs in the Championship we'd be delighted. Yes we loaned him out last time around but he's still only just 28 and he's a good defender. We will sign another CB I reckon but Bednarek would absolutely do a job for us this time around IMO as 3rd choice. 

[Bad Wolf]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Bednarek operated very well in the prem at times. 

Did he?!

[disconnect]

Just now, Bad Wolf said:

Did he?!

If compared to Stephens, then 100% yes!

[Whitey Grandad]

6 minutes ago, disconnect said:

If compared to Stephens, then 100% yes!

That’s a low base for comparison.

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Did he?!

Yes. He's been part of a defence that has comfortably stayed up and played the majority of games. That's the aim for this season too. 

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

That’s a low base for comparison.

The aim is to survive in the prem. He's more than good enough to be a cb option for this season. It looks like we will be bringing in another cb so if he stays he will probably be played in a 5 at the back or as backup and he is a good option to have. 

[Weston Super Saint]

8 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Yes. He's been part of a defence that has comfortably stayed up and played the majority of games. That's the aim for this season too. 

Plus, I think his game has improved since then. He's certainly more aware than he was.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

14 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Yes. He's been part of a defence that has comfortably stayed up and played the majority of games. That's the aim for this season too. 

He looked good in a three under Hughes, which is a formation we have returned to recently

[S-Clarke]

I think signing McCarthy to a deal will reduce our search for a GK, I don't think it should, but McCarthy wasn't going to hang around here again for more bench time. He's been given a contract with assurances to play imo.

It's as bonkers as you can get, especially given that he wasn't even our bench keeper last season. But we're way too sentimental and short-sighted when it comes to our long-term players. Sometimes we just need to say thanks for the memories and move on.

The club won't want to replace Bazunu as we have a hard-on over him, so it was only ever going to be a stop gap whilst he was injured. Step up McCarthy I guess.

Edited June 25 by S-Clarke

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I think signing McCarthy to a deal will reduce our search for a GK, I don't think it should, but McCarthy wasn't going to hang around here again for more bench time. He's been given a contract with assurances to play imo.

It's as bonkers as you can get, especially given that he wasn't even our bench keeper last season. But we're way too sentimental and short-sighted when it comes to our long-term players. Sometimes we just need to say thanks for the memories and move on.

The club won't want to replace Bazunu as we have a hard-on over him, so it was only ever going to be a stop gap whilst he was injured. Step up McCarthy I guess.

Screams that Bazunu will be back in soon as he is match fit - tragic if so

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Screams that Bazunu will be back in soon as he is match fit - tragic if so

I'd never wish an injury on a player, it was awful what happened to him - but as a club we should have took that as a blessing, admitted our mistake on the original recruitment and used the opportunity to sign a replacement. We didn't have to upset him as he was injured anyway, just make sure the replacement was better than him (i.e can make saves) and Bazunu then becomes backup when he's fit.

McCarthy is as bog standard as you can get as a GK, but the fact that he looked more reliable, our expected xg against dropped massively and we kept a clean sheet in the biggest game of the season without Bazunu should scream enormous alarm bells for everyone associated with the club. I pray it does, but I fear it won't.

[scumbag]

5 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Screams that Bazunu will be back in soon as he is match fit - tragic if so

That's pretty scary. Stephens and a new GK / McCarthy maybe...but the two of them? Could set new records...and not good ones!

[Badger]

2 hours ago, CSA96 said:

 

 

2 hours ago, Convict Colony said:

Yeah saw that and thought is this good news and please tell me we have reduced his wages and it's a 1 yr deal or something.

Goalkeeper contracts have been our undoing for years.

It’s only really good news if we’re not intent on playing him in the league. Which tends to undermines the  point of offering him a new contract. 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Lumley 

Bazunu 

McCarthy 

New keeper. 

That's a lot of first team keepers. 

Not sure there is a first choice EPL GK between them in the first three. We know Bazunu & McCarthy didn’t measure up last time. Ludicrous if we’re relying on that bunch without a significant signing to bolster the squad. 

[Bad Wolf]

51 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Yes. He's been part of a defence that has comfortably stayed up and played the majority of games. That's the aim for this season too. 

He may have had the odd good game here and there but so did Stephens.

[Nolan]

52 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Screams that Bazunu will be back in soon as he is match fit - tragic if so

Then we should be grateful for Bazunus magical healing powers as he was ruled out for 9 months towards the end of April.

[Midfield_General]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Lumley 

Bazunu 

McCarthy 

New keeper. 

That's a lot of first team keepers. 

Hopefully it’s being looked at as:

1. New keeper

2. McCarthy

3. Lumley

(N/A: Bazunu - unavailable until further notice) 

I think we’ll bring in a senior no. 1 on a season-long loan, and have pitched it to McCarthy that the shirt is there for him to compete for in pre-season. 

Hopefully. 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I think we’ll bring in a senior no. 1 on a season-long loan, and have pitched it to McCarthy that the shirt is there for him to compete for in pre-season. 

Hopefully. 

I suspect we’ve pitched it that no other fucker has come in for him on the sort of terms he might have hoped for… 

He was outstanding in the final weeks in the Championship, but frightening that we might start with him for the season in August 

[hypochondriac]

9 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Hopefully it’s being looked at as:

1. New keeper

2. McCarthy

3. Lumley

(N/A: Bazunu - unavailable until further notice) 

I think we’ll bring in a senior no. 1 on a season-long loan, and have pitched it to McCarthy that the shirt is there for him to compete for in pre-season. 

Hopefully. 

That's my hope - and belief - too. I don't think we'd be so stupid to believe we don't need a top new keeper. Other than a striker it's our most important position. 

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Screams that Bazunu will be back in soon as he is match fit - tragic if so

Very tragic.  Surely they can see how shit he is though.  I reckon we’ll still sign a keeper.

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I think signing McCarthy to a deal will reduce our search for a GK, I don't think it should, but McCarthy wasn't going to hang around here again for more bench time. He's been given a contract with assurances to play imo.

It's as bonkers as you can get, especially given that he wasn't even our bench keeper last season. But we're way too sentimental and short-sighted when it comes to our long-term players. Sometimes we just need to say thanks for the memories and move on.

The club won't want to replace Bazunu as we have a hard-on over him, so it was only ever going to be a stop gap whilst he was injured. Step up McCarthy I guess.

McCarthy signed again for wages and wages alone.  Could be the last contract he signs.

[Chez]

one day we will hand out a contract to a keeper we rate.
Gunn
McCarthy
Bazunu
Lis
Lumley
Lumley
McCarthy

 

 

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

McCarthy signed again for wages and wages alone.  Could be the last contract he signs.

He had a chance of going to Celtic, no chance he turns that down to sit on the bench here.

[Midfield_General]

9 minutes ago, Chez said:

one day we will hand out a contract to a keeper we rate.
Gunn
McCarthy
Bazunu
Lis
Lumley
Lumley
McCarthy

[Turkish]

14 minutes ago, Chez said:

one day we will hand out a contract to a keeper we rate.
Gunn
McCarthy
Bazunu
Lis
Lumley
Lumley
McCarthy

 

 

Didn’t we make McCarthy one of the clubs highest paid players?

remember when we gave Forster a new contract and pay rise a year after he’d already signed one.

what a shitshow 

[The Cat]

Is Teamtalk reliable these days? Always thought they made shit up. 

Suddenly one report from them and DT's back on the phone to Samaritans.

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

one day we will hand out a contract to a keeper we rate.
Gunn
McCarthy
Bazunu
Lis
Lumley
Lumley
McCarthy

 

 

You forgot Forster.

[SaintsFan86]

https://x.com/SaintsWayPod/status/1805695017073193194?t=-kLnrKjcjN5rzNvgSOdOkw&s=19

 

[Dusic]

3 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

https://x.com/SaintsWayPod/status/1805695017073193194?t=-kLnrKjcjN5rzNvgSOdOkw&s=19

 

Not suprised. From his perspective its a good move, pay increase, back in London and a good chance of being a first choice.

Can't fault him for staying last season and being totally committed - nice way to leave a club with good memories rather than staying another season and quite possibly being relegated again.

From a Saints perspective we cannot lose a £20m asset for free so if he won't sign an extension then little choice. We do seem particularly bad and getting out best players tied down sooner - others show it is possible even if just means getting a bigger fee the following year.

[Galway saint]

3 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

Very tragic.  Surely they can see how shit he is though.  I reckon we’ll still sign a keeper.

He is absolutely abysmal. You only have to look at how much better McCarthy looked in comparison over the last few games. It a reasonable assumption that had he not been injured we would not have gone up. It’s difficult to know what his level is ( none-league?) but when he’s back from injury a season in the lower leagues has to be the best for all concerned. If we are serious about staying up then we can’t be contemplating playing him next season or any season frankly 

[vectraman]

6 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I'd never wish an injury on a player, it was awful what happened to him - but as a club we should have took that as a blessing, admitted our mistake on the original recruitment and used the opportunity to sign a replacement. We didn't have to upset him as he was injured anyway, just make sure the replacement was better than him (i.e can make saves) and Bazunu then becomes backup when he's fit.

McCarthy is as bog standard as you can get as a GK, but the fact that he looked more reliable, our expected xg against dropped massively and we kept a clean sheet in the biggest game of the season without Bazunu should scream enormous alarm bells for everyone associated with the club. I pray it does, but I fear it won't.

If we do sign McCarthy on a deal, it may just keep us up. Not because he’s an amazing stopper, but because he isn’t a twinkle toes with the ball at his feet. Once Bazunu got injured we changed our style, stopped so many suicidal playing out from the back moves and became more variable, mixed up some long balls, less predictable. Playing tippy tippy pass out from the back every match in the top flight would see us get some huge beatings. Mixing it up might help our cause - we aren’t good enough playing Man City style with bottom 6 players. Burnley proved it doesn’t work last year. 
🤞 we do sign a proper keeper rather than the same old same old, but I rather fear we are going cheap and not so cheerful. But better than Baz anyway. Bar obviously set very low here…

 

[HKsaint]

1 hour ago, SaintsFan86 said:

https://x.com/SaintsWayPod/status/1805695017073193194?t=-kLnrKjcjN5rzNvgSOdOkw&s=19

 

Could be a swap for Downes plus Ings (a liability) and cash!

[Long Shot]

I think talk of McCarthy signing a new contract to be wide of the mark. He’s had a lot of offers and is biding his time. 

[egg]

8 hours ago, Dusic said:

Not suprised. From his perspective its a good move, pay increase, back in London and a good chance of being a first choice.

Can't fault him for staying last season and being totally committed - nice way to leave a club with good memories rather than staying another season and quite possibly being relegated again.

From a Saints perspective we cannot lose a £20m asset for free so if he won't sign an extension then little choice. We do seem particularly bad and getting out best players tied down sooner - others show it is possible even if just means getting a bigger fee the following year.

Good post, although I can't agree with the criticism of not getting him tied down to a new contract. It's completely unrealistic to have expected him to commit to a new deal when we were odds on for relegation, and then in the championship. Him going this window is inevitable, and I wish the lad well. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

42 minutes ago, egg said:

Good post, although I can't agree with the criticism of not getting him tied down to a new contract. It's completely unrealistic to have expected him to commit to a new deal when we were odds on for relegation, and then in the championship. Him going this window is inevitable, and I wish the lad well. 

I understand why he would wait to know if we got promoted, but why is it inevitable he’s going this window? If he wanted to stay and a suitable deal was there from the club, surely he’d at leat consider it?

[egg]

1 minute ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

I understand why he would wait to know if we got promoted, but why is it inevitable he’s going this window? If he wanted to stay and a suitable deal was there from the club, surely he’d at leat consider it?

Because we won't allow his contract to run down if there's a decent offer, and common sense says that he'll take big cash/bigger club/guaranteed PL football next season if it's in offer. The only alternative to leaving is that he runs his contract down and walks next summer. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

19 minutes ago, egg said:

Because we won't allow his contract to run down if there's a decent offer, and common sense says that he'll take big cash/bigger club/guaranteed PL football next season if it's in offer. The only alternative to leaving is that he runs his contract down and walks next summer. 

No it’s not. We could offer him a decent new contract, a guaranteed start and continued PL football. Of course he may want a move in which case it’s likely he’ll move, but I don’t think we know that as fact so I don’t see it as inevitable.

[goodymatt]

It’s not impossible that KWP signs a new deal with a sensible release clause but the most likely outcome is that he moves on for 2 main reasons: 1. He’s a top half PL fullback. 2. Stupid FFP rules will force our hand.

[DT]

1 hour ago, Long Shot said:

I think talk of McCarthy signing a new contract to be wide of the mark. He’s had a lot of offers and is biding his time. 

PLEASE be true. Only one way we're going if we promise him first team football, and it isn't up.

[gio1saints]

This Goalkeeper situation is quite the conundrum. 

Re-signing Alex may include a join fee (or loyalty bonus?) plus an extended contract ( presumably 2-3 years) - and wages (which were £50k pw) so at least same - but maybe more? 

Given nobody took up Alex over several windows the season before and he ended up not even being in our match day squads before the final five games his state of preparation and professionalism shown in those matches was a testimony to his character. I’d go as far as to say his presence and performances may have been the difference between promotion and another year in the Championship. 

I say that without slight on Gav who kept goals throughout our unbeaten run lest we forget, yet it was clear that towards latter part of season his levels dropped. I’ve my own theories on that but blunt fact is Gavs XG was poor for a supposed best gk in the league. Alex just showed what he can bring to the team. For me that was a mentally fit solid back to basics  approach less trying to be the best footballing gk in the world. 

But is it better to keep Alex or bring in a new goalie? 

My personal view is that it’s time Saints bought a top goalie - but if we kept Alex on I get it, but I’d be subdued, disappointed - but still supportive. 
 

 

 

[Saint Fan CaM]

55 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

It’s not impossible that KWP signs a new deal with a sensible release clause but the most likely outcome is that he moves on for 2 main reasons: 1. He’s a top half PL fullback. 2. Stupid FFP rules will force our hand.

See you’ve said that as others have, but nobody can explain why…it’s just speculation. And he wouldn’t be a new signing.

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

It’s not impossible that KWP signs a new deal with a sensible release clause but the most likely outcome is that he moves on for 2 main reasons: 1. He’s a top half PL fullback. 2. Stupid FFP rules will force our hand.

Why are FFP forcing our hand?

[S-Clarke]

13 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why are FFP forcing our hand?

I think it's along the lines of us needing to make a profit on player trading to provide us more flexibility, i.e. selling KWP for big bucks (we don't have many we can sell for big bucks) will provide us a little more wiggle room within FFP/PSR to improve the squad in other areas. Otherwise we keep KWP and maybe don't sign a striker or something like that.

Sulemana, Onuachu, Perraud sales etc all will represent a loss for us as we wouldn't ever break even on what we originally spent.

It's an entirely backwards way of doing football, but here we are.

Edited June 26 by S-Clarke

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why are FFP forcing our hand?

are we still the only club that has to pay signing on fees, national insurance contributions and loyalty bonuses for players?

[Forester]

On 23/06/2024 at 14:00, Miltonaggro said:

The fucking Alamo! 

Lallana

[Forester]

On 23/06/2024 at 21:15, hypochondriac said:

On the face of it seems like a quality signing and we wouldn't be able to justify having him and KWP so you're probably right. 

I disagree.  I think we need to sign two more top class full backs, so Manning leaves and Bree becomes number four.  KWP able to play both flanks.  Loan out Larios and Meghoma

[Toadhall Saint]

2 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

No it’s not. We could offer him a decent new contract, a guaranteed start and continued PL football. Of course he may want a move in which case it’s likely he’ll move, but I don’t think we know that as fact so I don’t see it as inevitable.

How do we offer him continued PL football beyond the season coming? IMHO we will struggle to stay up this season coming.

[Toadhall Saint]

25 minutes ago, Turkish said:

are we still the only club that has to pay signing on fees, national insurance contributions and loyalty bonuses for players?

Of course. 😉

[Forester]

51 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

This Goalkeeper situation is quite the conundrum. 

Re-signing Alex may include a join fee (or loyalty bonus?) plus an extended contract ( presumably 2-3 years) - and wages (which were £50k pw) so at least same - but maybe more? 

Given nobody took up Alex over several windows the season before and he ended up not even being in our match day squads before the final five games his state of preparation and professionalism shown in those matches was a testimony to his character. I’d go as far as to say his presence and performances may have been the difference between promotion and another year in the Championship. 

I say that without slight on Gav who kept goals throughout our unbeaten run lest we forget, yet it was clear that towards latter part of season his levels dropped. I’ve my own theories on that but blunt fact is Gavs XG was poor for a supposed best gk in the league. Alex just showed what he can bring to the team. For me that was a mentally fit solid back to basics  approach less trying to be the best footballing gk in the world. 

But is it better to keep Alex or bring in a new goalie? 

My personal view is that it’s time Saints bought a top goalie - but if we kept Alex on I get it, but I’d be subdued, disappointed - but still supportive. 
 

 

 

Baz is a write off for the season, if he is fit for later in season it’s a bonus.   Even if he was fit, in my opinion he is not top class needed.  So retain McCarthy as number two, sign a top keeper as number one

[goodymatt]

42 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

See you’ve said that as others have, but nobody can explain why…it’s just speculation. And he wouldn’t be a new signing.

 

38 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Why are FFP forcing our hand?

@S-Clarke has already answered this for me.

My understanding is that over the 3 year period (which will include the lower threshold for the championship year) we have ended up in a position where we can’t spend what we want to, without breaking the FFP rules. If we were to sell KWP for say £25m and then sign a £10m replacement on a 4 year contract, that would be £2.5m per year amortised plus wages (which you’d expect would be less than KWP was earning), plus the £25m counting in full for this years numbers. The other factor is him walking for nothing next summer, that then makes replacing him much harder.

In order to stay within the FFP rules, we will need to generate cash to go straight into the bottom line, freeing up the ability to improve the team in all required areas and spreading those costs over their contracts. The flip side is that selling your best player makes you weaker and the gamble of replacements being good enough. We could effectively be losing Che, Stu and Alex all for £0, all need replacing somehow. what we don’t know is exactly how much money we have to spend but after Downes, THB and Fraser come in, I can’t imagine there is much wiggle room left without sales. It’s so backwards as rules designed for fair competition are actually making it absolutely impossible for us to ever be a consistent top 8 team.