January Transfer Window 2025

[Chez]

2 hours ago, goodymatt said:

I’d rather have had Stu around than Lallana this season. Truth is neither are the answer anymore.

Neither are what we needed for the Prem.

What about next season the Championship? Armstrong was excellent last season. His quality stood out at that level. Come this summer, he would be another year older, so not sure he would be the guy to go for. 

[OldNick]

1 hour ago, wild-saint said:

SR have lost the plot, Juric is a Poundland version of Nathan Jones and we are now getting rid of the only players that will be capable of getting us back up. Giving a short term contract to a no mark manager and then let him dismantle the squad after 5 consecutive league defeats is frankly scary behaviour from the owner. I see no sense in that sort of decision making at all. 

You cant lay this at Jurics door. What has Archer done to make us feel he is any good. He helped destabilise our season with the pathetic penalty v United (never taken one before apparently) Had he let another , or himself actually score who knows how the season may be now. When hes been on what has he done, less effective than Adama 

[goodymatt]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

Neither are what we needed for the Prem.

What about next season the Championship? Armstrong was excellent last season. His quality stood out at that level. Come this summer, he would be another year older, so not sure he would be the guy to go for. 

Yeah I’m not sure if he would reliable, but his quality did show. If he could replicate his form for us last season he could still contribute but we won’t get to find out. Will be interesting to see how he gets on the rest of this season in the championship.

Fernandes was a very good Stu replacement but Che Adams hasn’t been replaced well at all.

[OldNick]

6 minutes ago, Chez said:

Neither are what we needed for the Prem.

What about next season the Championship? Armstrong was excellent last season. His quality stood out at that level. Come this summer, he would be another year older, so not sure he would be the guy to go for. 

All this romance for ex players who have let their contracts roll down so they get big paydays elsewhere. I dont want him back and he was always only OK

[goodymatt]

When asked in the presser today if we were expecting much activity in the remaining days, Juric replied “no no everything quiet”.

Edited 9 hours ago by goodymatt

[revolution saint]

9 minutes ago, Chez said:

It was certainly surprising as we seemed to need a guy who could play with his back to goal. If BBD was always going to play in a wide role (I still understand why anyone thinks he's a wide attacker) - and Onuachu was not really part of the plan, we need a strong number 9 to give us a focal point. When we were unable to get first choice Delap, perhaps the options were limited?  

Completely agree with you - Archer doesn't offer too much different to what we already had.  No idea how much truth there is but we were supposed to be in for Fotis Ioannodis https://onefootball.com/en/news/southampton-failed-with-bid-for-uefa-conference-league-clubs-striker-40012605  He looked the right kind of profile for what we needed going into the season.  

If we can get Leeds to agree to an obligation if they get promoted and we can get our money back on Archer then I'd probably take it.  I'd like to have seen a bit more of him but he's not been that great when he has played and both Martin and Juric have benched him more than played him.

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

I've been saying it since the Summer - our tactic is to become a yo-yo club and make money from high upside youngsters, with the hope that one year we will fluke our way to stay up with minimal investment. For teams that get promoted now with PSR it really is the only tactic unless you have a very good spine of players on promotion.

Our tactic the summer was to spend every penny we had available to compile the best Prem squad we could to try and stay up. It has failed. We will go back down. So, the `yo-yo' tag becomes applicable, but the idea that becoming a yo-yo clubs was a `tactic' is not accurate IMO. 

Making money from high upside youngsters is certainly part of the football business plan. It's essential to become a sustainable business simply because you lose money every year on wages and failed transfers and you need to make up for those losses to allow you to reinvest.

We obviously signed some young players with high upside like Archer and Fernades, but we signed two loans, Fraser, Taylor, BBD and Lallana. We also signed Ramsdale, Downes and Sugawara. So, lots of different player types, ages and values - such that it's hard to define a clear policy other than we wanted a mix of experience, youth etc.   

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Completely agree with you - Archer doesn't offer too much different to what we already had.  No idea how much truth there is but we were supposed to be in for Fotis Ioannodis https://onefootball.com/en/news/southampton-failed-with-bid-for-uefa-conference-league-clubs-striker-40012605  He looked the right kind of profile for what we needed going into the season.  

If we can get Leeds to agree to an obligation if they get promoted and we can get our money back on Archer then I'd probably take it.  I'd like to have seen a bit more of him but he's not been that great when he has played and both Martin and Juric have benched him more than played him.

In the end, if we want to refresh the squad next season, we do need to sell a few, and as always, offloading the ones you really dont want is the hardest.

We have BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Armstrong on the books. I know some are happy to go with those players next season because they have scored golas at that level in the past, and that's a reasonble option, but personally I'd be happy if all four departed and we tried again with another three players. Hopefully two work out, not only in getting us promoted, but also doing something after we go up. The big issue with that plan is that we might sign players that don't even do it in the Championship...and then we'd be really fucked.

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

When asked in the presser today if we were expecting much activity in the remaining days, Juric replied “no no everything quiet”.

...does that mean the interest in KWP, Baz, Taylor, Archer, Sulemena and Onuachu in the press is all bollocks? or was the question specifically about "incomings"

Edited 8 hours ago by Chez

[disconnect]

44 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I would rather keep Archer and get rid of Armstrong.

100% this. Archer is much better, but needs games!

[Lord Duckhunter]

58 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

Why are people suddenly getting their knickers in a twist about Archer possibly leaving? He's shite, done next to nothing this season. And after his pathetic half arsed sub appearance against Newcastle, I'd happily never see him in a Saints shirt again. I'm not convinced he'd be anything special in the Championship either.

I agree, he’s began a fucking waste of space, shat himself when taking a penalty and minced around hardly touching the ball the rest of the time. The fact the manager prefers that useless dwarf Adam Armstrong says it all. 

[Chez]

55 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Agreed.

We should be making signings for next season in the Championship. I'd of been all over Whittaker from Plymouth for £6m, he's a match winner and although more quiet this season had impressive numbers for a struggling promoted side last season

Maybe best to wait until the summer and see who departs before adding yet more players to an already bloated squad? 

[miserableoldgit]

54 minutes ago, Chez said:

When you put it like that, its pretty damning. Of course, there will always be some transfer failures, but we certainly haven't had anywhere near enough `successes' (and I am talking about immediate, not long term) to survive this season. I guess the only counter argument, would be that apart from Archer, the rest cost buttons - and had to because they didn't have the budget needed.

Bigger money signings
Ramsdale - success
Archer - failure
Downes - failure
Ferndandes - Success

Smaller money signings
BBD - failure
Sugawara - failure
Wood - failure
Edwards - failure
Fraser - failure
Taylor - failure
Lallana - failure
Les - failure
Cornet - Failure

Add that lot to a squad already bereft of PL quality and its hardly surprising we have not got the results we hoped for.  

Totally agree, although I would adjust this slightly by saying that Ramsdale and Fernandes have been "success-ish". Whilst they have been better than the rest, neither of them have set the World alight. The one bright spark in the gloom has been Dibling....and he has only really played a bit-part. Just shows HOW bad the recruitment has been this season.

[goodymatt]

39 minutes ago, Chez said:

...does that mean the interest in KWP, Baz, Taylor, Archer, Sulemena and Onuachu in the press is all bollocks? or was the question specifically about "incomings"

It was an open question about transfer activity in general but Juric does say “no, no” at the start of almost every answer, think it’s his version of “erm”. So him saying everything is quiet could be him just shutting the question down.

I can’t imagine we let Cornet, BBD and Archer all go in the same window and not bring someone in? We still have the PL loan slot to use too. Unless we see it as sulemana, Dibling, Onuachu and Arma for those front 2 positions. Fernandes and Gronbaek for the role behind? 

Looking forward to this season ending.

Edited 8 hours ago by goodymatt

[Saint86]

2 hours ago, wild-saint said:

SR have lost the plot, Juric is a Poundland version of Nathan Jones and we are now getting rid of the only players that will be capable of getting us back up. Giving a short term contract to a no mark manager and then let him dismantle the squad after 5 consecutive league defeats is frankly scary behaviour from the owner. I see no sense in that sort of decision making at all. 

He's a far better manager than Nathan Jones for starters, and with greater experience and pedigree.

As for the squad.... Its dire quality wise and full of bloat, it absolutely needs dismantling and rebuilding by the end of the summer. If juric is going to be our manager next season and doesn't fancy the likes of Archer then so be it. Its not his fault that he's not good enough for us in the prem, he's isn't contributing to our season currently, and i've got no issue under those circumstances loaning him out if it means more money which we can use to get players we actually want in in the summer or when a new DoF is involved.

Edited 8 hours ago by Saint86

[benali-shorts]

Sulemana, Dibling, TP and Armstrong probably is enough, in terms of quantity as opposed to quality?
If archer is Juric’s 5th choice, he’s unlikely to get much game time (I’d prefer him to Armstrong but they probably see AA as fine for next season whereas Archer is more sellable?). 

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, revolution saint said:

Completely agree with you - Archer doesn't offer too much different to what we already had.  No idea how much truth there is but we were supposed to be in for Fotis Ioannodis https://onefootball.com/en/news/southampton-failed-with-bid-for-uefa-conference-league-clubs-striker-40012605  He looked the right kind of profile for what we needed going into the season.  

If we can get Leeds to agree to an obligation if they get promoted and we can get our money back on Archer then I'd probably take it.  I'd like to have seen a bit more of him but he's not been that great when he has played and both Martin and Juric have benched him more than played him.

 

1 hour ago, OldNick said:

You cant lay this at Jurics door. What has Archer done to make us feel he is any good. He helped destabilise our season with the pathetic penalty v United (never taken one before apparently) Had he let another , or himself actually score who knows how the season may be now. When hes been on what has he done, less effective than Adama 

This basically.

[miserableoldgit]

16 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

It was an open question about transfer activity in general but Juric does say “no, no” at the start of almost every answer, think it’s his version of “erm”. So him saying everything is quiet could be him just shutting the question down.

I can’t imagine we let Cornet, BBD and Archer all go in the same window and not bring someone in? We still have the PL loan slot to use too. Unless we see it as sulemana, Dibling, Onuachu and Arma for those front 2 positions. Fernandes and Gronbaek for the role behind? 

Looking forward to this season ending.

https://sl.bing.net/i0ems1lp5TE

[miserableoldgit]

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, SambaMaverick said:

Get rid of him to the Championship? Where he will be scoring goals and earning points which go against us?

He doesn’t look like he could hit a cow’s arse with a banjo so I wouldn’t be so sure.

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

9 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

Should’ve gone to Specsavers…

[Wade Garrett]

12 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

As long as he doesn’t play him that’s fine.

[goodymatt]

14 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

Another player that’s more than fine for the championship but not the PL. He wants to be here and cares about the club, I have no objection to him being here next season.

[Miltonaggro]

26 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

Might be a typo, Jack Daniels?...

[FarehamSaintJames]

No one can be shocked. It was always going to be a quiet window.

[SNSUN]

7 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

No one can be shocked. It was always going to be a quiet window.

Not that's a surprise to anyone, but it seems SR are resigned to relegation. Which is actually marginally favourable to 2 Januarys' ago when we panic bought a load of crap for big money. I'd much rather keep our wad dry for summer moves rather than blow money now on a lost cause.

[gio1saints]

To all those thinking we should “ keep” players who are proven anonymous / rubbish at EPL level for another season just in case they are world beaters at championship level maybe consider the implications. This means, should they actually perform as hoped, that in a years time, and SR learn the lesson, that we need dump ALL of them in order to get players who CAN actually perform at EPL level. 

Strikes me that if Saints want me to renew my ST then watching the dead men walking of our first team trying to get promotion does not sound all that vfm to me nor all that fun nor is it contributing to future proofing us for the EPL. 
 

Sadly, Nottingham Forest are the template for how to game the system atm. 
 

If you trying to build a team to compete in the EPL but they have to get out the Championship first then the thinking seems to be that you need virtually two different teams altogether.

Soend all season getting behind a team and a manager, with a mission, and then, when you fulfil the mission, sack them all off, appoint a David Moyes type and sell all the players to be replaced by Giorgio Scorragoal, Bernard Assistmachine and Angelo Maimforwards. 
 

The gap is ever widening. IF we go up next season expect at least 75% departures and same incoming to our squad. It’s effing crazy almost impossible to work out who or how or what in the context. 

Edited 6 hours ago by gio1saints
Having fun

[OldNick]

On 28/01/2025 at 15:55, Fabrice29 said:

And as I explained in that thread at that time, you seem to be under the impression the charge, investigation and punishment can all be concluded in a timely fashion when it’s most convenient for you. That’s even if you get past the daft idea of deliberately breaking the leagues laws being a sound business plan. 

Well the punishment would not be in the season you overspend. The ultimate idea for doing thiis is to stay up the first season back. Once achieved we would likely be in position to absorb a 10 point penalty and re establish ourselves. It seems to me that if you play by the rules you wont survive in the PL. A constant yo-yo if you're lucky. The yo-yo is all well and good but once the yo-yo elastic snaps you may slip into Championship obscurity for decades or worse.

Im not saying we should do it but may be something to consider

[goodymatt]

16 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

To all those thinking we should “ keep” players who are proven anonymous / rubbish at EPL level for another season just in case they are world beaters at championship level maybe consider the implications. This means, should they actually perform as hoped, that in a years time, and SR learn the lesson, that we need dump ALL of them in order to get players who CAN actually perform at EPL level. 

Strikes me that if Saints want me to renew my ST then watching the dead men walking of our first team trying to get promotion does not sound all that vfm to me nor all that fun nor is it contributing to future proofing us for the EPL. 
 

Sadly, Nottingham Forest are the template for how to game the system atm. 
 

If you trying to build a team to compete in the EPL but they have to get out the Championship first then the thinking seems to be that you need virtually two different teams altogether.

Soend all season getting behind a team and a manager, with a mission, and then, when you fulfil the mission, sack them all off, appoint a David Moyes type and sell all the players to be replaced by Giorgio Scorragoal, Bernard Assistmachine and Angelo Maimforwards. 
 

The gap is ever widening. IF we go up next season expect at least 75% departures and same incoming to our squad. It’s effing crazy almost impossible to work out who or how or what in the context. 

You acknowledge the team will need to almost fully change upon promotion, so why do that now as well? Might as well worry about it when/if we get there because we will struggle to attract PL quality players in the championship. 

[Barsiem]

Be very disappointing if we got rid of Archer.  He's raw but definitely got something about him.  I would hope he'd be our first choice striker in the champ, score a hatful next season and then be a much more rounded player if we return to the PL in 18th months.  Worked for Solanke

[disconnect]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

Another player that’s more than fine for the championship but not the PL. He wants to be here and cares about the club, I have no objection to him being here next season.

So long as he stops being an idiot and getting sent off all the time…

[Bakovnetski]

1 hour ago, miserableoldgit said:

Juric really likes Jack Stephens.........

Nnnnnoooooooooooooo................

[miserableoldgit]

3 minutes ago, Bakovnetski said:

Nnnnnoooooooooooooo................

Straight from the man himself in his pre-match presser. Hasn't learned the English expression "shoe-horning" yet.....

[Football Special]

3 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Yeah I’m not sure if he would reliable, but his quality did show. If he could replicate his form for us last season he could still contribute but we won’t get to find out. Will be interesting to see how he gets on the rest of this season in the championship.

Fernandes was a very good Stu replacement but Che Adams hasn’t been replaced well at all.

A mate of mine lives over there and watches Torino occasionally, they are big fans of Che Adams, bagged another couple last Friday night , think that's 9 for the season now 

[Convict Colony]

4 hours ago, wild-saint said:

SR have lost the plot, Juric is a Poundland version of Nathan Jones and we are now getting rid of the only players that will be capable of getting us back up. Giving a short term contract to a no mark manager and then let him dismantle the squad after 5 consecutive league defeats is frankly scary behaviour from the owner. I see no sense in that sort of decision making at all. 

Whoever's angry agent this is come and get him.

 

[Convict Colony]

9 minutes ago, Football Special said:

A mate of mine lives over there and watches Torino occasionally, they are big fans of Che Adams, bagged another couple last Friday night , think that's 9 for the season now 

nothing but respect for Che, gave his all last season and now bullying serie a defenders happy for him

[Convict Colony]

47 minutes ago, Barsiem said:

Be very disappointing if we got rid of Archer.  He's raw but definitely got something about him.  I would hope he'd be our first choice striker in the champ, score a hatful next season and then be a much more rounded player if we return to the PL in 18th months.  Worked for Solanke

A lack of premier league goals

 

[Long Shot]

We may be down and out but at the very least we should be in the market for a striker with Brereton out on loan, Archer potentially off and Ross Stewart well who knows? 
Lack of goals is a glaringly obvious problem that needs fixing before the summer. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Another player that’s more than fine for the championship but not the PL. He wants to be here and cares about the club, I have no objection to him being here next season.

Not for me. He's just as a liability in the Championship as he is in the PL. We need to be getting rid of him. People go in about him being a leader etc. Leaders don't pull the kind of shit he has this season.

[Master Bates]

Attack the yank

 

[miserableoldgit]

28 minutes ago, Football Special said:

A mate of mine lives over there and watches Torino occasionally, they are big fans of Che Adams, bagged another couple last Friday night , think that's 9 for the season now 

It is because the Italian League is "shite".........equivilent to the Scottish leagues.........it has to be because Adams is "shite"...........apparently......

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, Ivan Katalinic's 'tache said:

Should’ve gone to Specsavers…

Jack can lead Argyle’s promotion campaign from League 1 next season. Finish his career in South Devon/Cornwall.

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Another player that’s more than fine for the championship but not the PL. He wants to be here and cares about the club, I have no objection to him being here next season.

I can just picture the scenario now…

It’s late April and Saints are playing Leicester at St Mary’s. With five games left, both clubs are in a three way battle for automatic promotion, it’s a real six-pointer. With 70 minutes on the clock, it’s 1-1 and Leicester have a throw in on the halfway line. Words are said between their LB about to take it and a nearby Saints winger. Seeing this Stephens runs over from 40 yards away to get involved for no apparent reason. After a brief exchange of shouting, Stephens leans in with one of those ridiculous fake headbutts and the Leicester player goes down in a heap. Stephens is immediately red carded and protests his innocence and indignation. Saints are forced to try and hang on for a draw with ten men, only to concede a Jamie Vardy penalty in stoppage time. After the game, some fans will make a weird attempt to defend Stephens by saying, "yeah, we’ll at least he cares, I wish more of our players were a bit like that."

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

I can just picture the scenario now…

It’s late April and Saints are playing Leicester at St Mary’s. With five games left, both clubs are in a three way battle for automatic promotion, it’s a real six-pointer. With 70 minutes on the clock, it’s 1-1 and Leicester have a throw in on the halfway line. Words are said between their LB about to take it and a nearby Saints winger. Seeing this Stephens runs over from 40 yards away to get involved for no apparent reason. After a brief exchange of shouting, Stephens leans in with one of those ridiculous fake headbutts and the Leicester player goes down in a heap. Stephens is immediately red carded and protests his innocence and indignation. Saints are forced to try and hang on for a draw with ten men, only to concede a Jamie Vardy penalty in stoppage time. After the game, some fans will make a weird attempt to defend Stephens by saying, "yeah, we’ll at least he cares, I wish more of our players were a bit like that."

I wasn’t sure to put a like or laugh, because it was also funny, but put a like in the end.

Jack needs a West Country homecoming to chill him out. 

[Football Special]

30 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

nothing but respect for Che, gave his all last season and now bullying serie a defenders happy for him

He's done well. When you take out players like Adams, Armstrong, David Brooks, we actually got weaker this season? 

[Nolan]

57 minutes ago, Football Special said:

A mate of mine lives over there and watches Torino occasionally, they are big fans of Che Adams, bagged another couple last Friday night , think that's 9 for the season now 

And as Juric said when asked about the differences between the top leagues in England and Italy. The Italian top division is a lot less physical than here. 

Well done to Che, but it's not like for like.

[goodymatt]

Giving me Tommy Forecast vibes when he was included to reduce the Bale fee. Anyone know if Tyrese Hall is a promising talent or a non league player in disguise?

[Gloucester Saint]

21 minutes ago, Football Special said:

He's done well. When you take out players like Adams, Armstrong, David Brooks, we actually got weaker this season? 

Yes. Stu only started 14 games IIRC last season and Sheff Weds a better move for him, so that may be marginal but certainly Che was not replaced at all. 

[Harry_SFC]

25 minutes ago, Football Special said:

He's done well. When you take out players like Adams, Armstrong, David Brooks, we actually got weaker this season? 

Yes. Despite all the stick Adams got for missing chances he has more premier league goals than our current 5 forward players combined...

[Chez]

20 minutes ago, Football Special said:

He's done well. When you take out players like Adams, Armstrong, David Brooks, we actually got weaker this season? 

Adams replaced by Archer/BBD
Brooks replaced by Dibling/Fraser
Armstrong replaced by Fernandes/Lallana
Perhaps we'd of benefitted retaining those three players and maybe not bringing BBD, Fraser and Lallana