January Transfer Window 2025

[Lighthouse]

4 minutes ago, trousers said:

SAA's lack of progress the last couple of seasons is a bit of a head-scratcher, although somewhat unsurprising given  the club doesn't tend to keep fans in the loop on young player development progress these days. (Nor are our local journos seemingly too keen on finding out...)

If I remember correctly, SAA had a really good pre-season last summer, playing in most games and getting good write-ups. And then he disappeared, almost without trace. 

Hey ho... We stumble on...

I remember Mario Licka being our stand-out player in pre-season once. Those games are just friendlies for building fitness and integrating new players, being good in them doesn't really count for a lot.

[Fabrice29]

7 minutes ago, trousers said:

SAA's lack of progress the last couple of seasons is a bit of a head-scratcher, although somewhat unsurprising given  the club doesn't tend to keep fans in the loop on young player development progress these days. (Nor are our local journos seemingly too keen on finding out...)

Just out of interest what is that supposed to look like?

[SaintNewForest]

Sport Republic doing their best to destroy any pathway for these young players by signing utter dross and cutting wage structures ... Bravo guys.

[Fabrice29]

It's interesting that just under 2 years ago a team with Meghoma, DIbling, SAA, Doyle and Ballard all started against West Ham u18's and was demolished physically in a 6-1 defeat despite technically being on a par with them. These same players are being used as examples of how the academy has failed them by not giving them first team football. I think people just need to remember how young they are and how big the step up is. The lad who got a hatrick for West Ham that day signed for City this summer btw.

[Baird of the land]

Shame that’s he’s leaving.

2 years of barely playing will do that. Time will tell if we’ll end up viewing him as a missed opportunity.

[trousers]

16 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I remember Mario Licka being our stand-out player in pre-season once. Those games are just friendlies for building fitness and integrating new players, being good in them doesn't really count for a lot.

Fair point, but it's still reasonable to ponder how someone can go from being a key player in pre-season one minute to disappearing off the face of the earth the next. I'm sure for every Licka or SAA there's been plenty of players that have excelled in pre-season and then gone on to have an equally decent season thereafter. It's not an unreasonable expectation.

Edited Sunday at 17:24 by trousers

[Badger]

15 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

Well that sucks, always thought he looked promising. 
Strasbourg though, I wonder if related to the Sylla deal. Anyway still looks like a back door to Chelsea getting him long term if he’s a success. 
 

 

11 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

You haven’t mentioned it, but Joe Shields. 

Interesting point about their link to Chelsea. Have to wonder if we'd still be considering €7-10m if wee thought Chelsea were signing him.

As someone else said we should include a hefty sell on %. Wonder if we could insist on his registration to play should he come back to the UK, if such a thing still exists. 

[spyinthesky]

I must admit at being disappointed in this although there may be a financial benefit to the club which may translate into spending on another player.

I have seen SAA in U21 games and he generally lloks a cut above most of the players on there and he was able to bulk up a little could turn into a similar player to Sako.

Whatever the outcome, good luck to the lad.

[Lighthouse]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

Fair point, but it's still reasonable to ponder how someone can go from being a key player in pre-season one minute to disappearing off the face of the earth the next. I'm sure for every Licka or SAA there's been plenty of players that have excelled in pre-season and then gone on to have an equally decent season thereafter. It's not an unreasonable expectation.

Because it's like winning 'man of the pre-match warm up'. It's not a competitive game, so there's very little to be read in 'winning' it. All you're saying with the second part of that post is that there's basically no correlation between having a good pre-season and being a good player. I never implied that having a good pre-season indicates you can't be good but if Mo Salah and Mario Licka can both look excellent in pre-season training, then it's really not much of a barometer.

[FarehamSaintJames]

He probably wanted some minutes and who can blame him.

He has to make a decision, stick around and potentially not get a move in the summer, get a move in the summer or take the opportunity now.

A deal up to £10m for a player who hasn’t really done much at senior level is good business. But he did look a cut above some of the players we’ve had come from the academy in recent years: N’Lundulu, Jankewitz, Tella, Dibling, Meghoma, Max Alleyne, Jimmy-Jay Morgan.

How many of these have gone on to bigger and better things in recent times, a small minority. I’m sure there’s more but let’s not forget that what is todays future big star can go on to be playing non-league or EFL within a few years.

[trousers]

27 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Because it's like winning 'man of the pre-match warm up'. It's not a competitive game, so there's very little to be read in 'winning' it. All you're saying with the second part of that post is that there's basically no correlation between having a good pre-season and being a good player. I never implied that having a good pre-season indicates you can't be good but if Mo Salah and Mario Licka can both look excellent in pre-season training, then it's really not much of a barometer.

Fair enough. I'll keep my head-scratching to myself next time...

Edited Sunday at 17:59 by trousers

[Maggie May]

I trust the club fully when we offload youngsters at this stage of their career. The best ones will go for big money, i.e Lavia and Dibling when the time comes. 
 

[Winnersaint]

Seen a few bits on social media that Spuds confident of getting Dibling over the line this window.

[Matthew Le God]

11 minutes ago, Winnersaint said:

Seen a few bits on social media that Spuds confident of getting Dibling over the line this window.

From which journalists? Or is it random Spurs fans?

[davefizzy14]

I would have thought we would only loan Sam Amo out for the second part of the season. He's a top talent who needs gametime. I don't get the logic behind this.

Edited Sunday at 18:54 by davefizzy14

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

From which journalists? Or is it random Spurs fans?

On Thursday the Daily Express said Spurs were interested. This morning, Givemesport said Spurs were interested and then the London Evening Standard reported the givemesport story.

Can't see any journalist currently saying it is close to being over the line.

[Ken Tone]

Spurs -- Dibling 

Feels like deliberate propaganda from spurs and/or agent. Say it often and loud enough and it becomes more likely to happen.

[trousers]

58 minutes ago, Maggie May said:

I trust the club fully

There's always a risk in trusting something 100%. Always better to maintain a healthy / pragmatic level of scepticism and/or doubt IMO.... 

Edited Sunday at 19:06 by trousers

[SuperSAINT]

8 minutes ago, Ken Tone said:

Spurs -- Dibling 

Feels like deliberate propaganda from spurs and/or agent. Say it often and loud enough and it becomes more likely to happen.

Well spurs have the money and need a player in that position — and just lost out on one.

I don’t really see a good reason for us to sell now…. But you never know.

[ErwinK1961]

Can’t see Spurs spending the money we’d want for TD, especially in January and on a player who isn’t the finished article.

[Fabrice29]

10 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

Can’t see Spurs spending the money we’d want for TD, especially in January and on a player who isn’t the finished article.

Agreed. 2 goals isn't enough to get in many other PL teams on the regular basis he can get here.

[westmidlandsaint]

Carlos Alcaraz to Everton - this one makes me a bit sad another player that Martin didn't like. Think he'd be alright under Juric

[Wsaint]

6 minutes ago, westmidlandsaint said:

Carlos Alcaraz to Everton - this one makes me a bit sad another player that Martin didn't like. Think he'd be alright under Juric

Is a shame, especially as it's Everton. Hopefully fernandes and the new Dane can soften the blow for the rest of the season.

[Midfield_General]

Re Sam AA - are there actually any examples of youth academy players who we’ve ‘let go’ or sold for a small-ish sum in recent years because we didn’t rate them enough to keep them, where they’ve actually gone on to prove that it was a mistake to let them go when we did? i.e they have gone on to bigger and better things and turned out to be good enough to play regularly in the PL? 

I’m not talking about the ones we cashed in on for good money, or someone like Kevin Philips who slipped through the net 40 odd years ago, I’m talking in recent years. I’m not sure I can think of any.

I’m not counting Tella as he was an Arsenal youth player and he didn’t join us until he was 18. 

Targett maybe? 

Generally speaking it feels that we do make pretty decent calls on who we let go if we can see they’re not quite up to it. 

Edited Sunday at 19:48 by Midfield_General

[Give it to Ron]

5 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Re Sam AA - are there actually any examples of youth academy players who we’ve ‘let go’ or sold for a small-ish sum in recent years because we didn’t rate them enough to keep them, where they’ve actually gone on to prove that it was a mistake to let them go when we did? i.e they have gone on to bigger and better things and turned out to be good enough to play regularly in the PL? 

I’m not talking about the ones we cashed in on for good money, or someone like Kevin Philips who slipped through the net 40 odd years ago, I’m talking in recent years. I’m not sure I can think of any.

I’m not counting Tella as he was an Arsenal youth player and he didn’t join us until he was 18. 

Targett maybe? 

Generally speaking it feels that we do make pretty decent calls on who we let go if we can see they’re not quite up to it. 

Harrison Reed?

[imadirtyurchin]

5 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Re Sam AA - are there actually any examples of youth academy players who we’ve ‘let go’ or sold for a small-ish sum in recent years because we didn’t rate them enough to keep them, where they’ve actually gone on to prove that it was a mistake to let them go when we did? i.e they have gone on to bigger and better things and turned out to be good enough to play regularly in the PL? 

I’m not talking about the ones we cashed in on for good money, or someone like Kevin Philips who slipped through the net 40 odd years ago, I’m talking in recent years. I’m not sure I can think of any.

I’m not counting Tella as he was an Arsenal youth player and he didn’t join us until he was 18. 

Targett maybe? 

Generally speaking it feels that we do make pretty decent calls on who we let go if we can see they’re not quite up to it. 

Off the top of my head… Harrison reed probably

 

Definitely Bale, surman… (but I know this was during the difficult finances period) 

[wild-saint]

2 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Harrison Reed?

bigger and better things? Fulham that's stretching it a bit. £10m now or possibly emulating HR, i think id take the cash.

[Chez]

8 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Re Sam AA - are there actually any examples of youth academy players who we’ve ‘let go’ or sold for a small-ish sum in recent years because we didn’t rate them enough to keep them, where they’ve actually gone on to prove that it was a mistake to let them go when we did? i.e they have gone on to bigger and better things and turned out to be good enough to play regularly in the PL? 

I’m not talking about the ones we cashed in on for good money, or someone like Kevin Philips who slipped through the net 40 odd years ago, I’m talking in recent years. I’m not sure I can think of any.

I’m not counting Tella as he was an Arsenal youth player and he didn’t join us until he was 18. 

Targett maybe? 

Generally speaking it feels that we do make pretty decent calls on who we let go if we can see they’re not quite up to it. 

Tim Sparv, Tyrone Mings, Ben White, Danny Ings.

[Give it to Ron]

4 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

bigger and better things? Fulham that's stretching it a bit. £10m now or possibly emulating HR, i think id take the cash.

You don’t think Fulham are a better club than us in the last 3-4 years?

Well run good manager and decent owner with good recruitment yet you think we are better?

[Football Special]

2 hours ago, spyinthesky said:

I must admit at being disappointed in this although there may be a financial benefit to the club which may translate into spending on another player.

I have seen SAA in U21 games and he generally lloks a cut above most of the players on there and he was able to bulk up a little could turn into a similar player to Sako.

Whatever the outcome, good luck to the lad.

I've got to be honest compared to Dibling he's well behind, gets knocked off the ball too easily , a loan to league one or two would he good to toughen him up a bit but he doesn't seem ready to contribute to our first team. He's a Spurs academy lad like Meghoma so not like they've been around at the club forever 

[Chez]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

Tim Sparv, Tyrone Mings, Ben White, Danny Ings.

it will be very interesting to see how SAA, Meghoma, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, Miles Harrison, Max Alleyn and Gomes Rodriguez progress in the next five years. I think the club may have wanted to keep all of them, but sometimes it's just not possible to meet the players requirements or the money offered elsewhere. 

[Football Special]

49 minutes ago, westmidlandsaint said:

Carlos Alcaraz to Everton - this one makes me a bit sad another player that Martin didn't like. Think he'd be alright under Juric

Is he allowed to play for three teams in one season? 

[Football Special]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

it will be very interesting to see how SAA, Meghoma, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, Miles Harrison, Max Alleyn and Gomes Rodriguez progress in the next five years. I think the club may have wanted to keep all of them, but sometimes it's just not possible to meet the players requirements or the money offered elsewhere. 

The whole academy system is a mess I think, if they show too much promise they end up being taken off us like Rodriguez,  nothing we can do, if not good enough get released, it's the in-between where we have to hope to get lucky. A lot of movement between academies and signing young players to join academies like we've done in recent years 

[goodymatt]

 

[Lighthouse]

5 minutes ago, Football Special said:

The whole academy system is a mess I think, if they show too much promise they end up being taken off us like Rodriguez,  nothing we can do, if not good enough get released, it's the in-between where we have to hope to get lucky. A lot of movement between academies and signing young players to join academies like we've done in recent years 

I think we need to stop thinking of academies as a route to the first team for promising youngsters and more as a source of income for the club, which is basically what they 99% are these days. If we can turn profits on the likes of Tella, Meghoma and SAA then it’s relatively successful in that regard.

[Football Special]

4 hours ago, HarvSFC said:

Rubbish. Looked decent against Cardiff earlier in the season and could have been an asset next season, certainly causes more problems than a lot of our other wing options, who can't take a man on.

So, that's now Morgan, Doyle, Meghoma, Alleyne, Gomes-Rodriguez, Miles and now SAA who were all rated in the academy and left without making an impact on the first team under SR with the Bath Academy also being shut down. We were lucky Dibling came back. It's a shame.

Bath academy wasn't really our choice. 

And most of those players  left without us being able to hold on to them without matching big Man City contracts which probably wouldn't have been enough anyway 

[Maggie May]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

There's always a risk in trusting something 100%. Always better to maintain a healthy / pragmatic level of scepticism and/or doubt IMO.... 

Yes, very true. 

[SNSUN]

10 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

 

Failed there but at least it sounds like we're trying to do something. We don't need much as we're down anywah, just enough to avoid an embarrassment. One eye on next season would be more impressive.

[Osvaldorama]

2 hours ago, Maggie May said:

I trust the club fully when we offload youngsters at this stage of their career. The best ones will go for big money, i.e Lavia and Dibling when the time comes. 
 

I don’t trust the club on any transfer, in or out, since SR came in. 
 

Add this to their list of fucking terrible decisions. Twats

[Matthew Le God]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

On Thursday the Daily Express said Spurs were interested. This morning, Givemesport said Spurs were interested and then the London Evening Standard reported the givemesport story.

Can't see any journalist currently saying it is close to being over the line.

So none say Spurs are "confident of getting Dibling over the line this window". Which is what I asked for.

[Football Special]

8 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I think we need to stop thinking of academies as a route to the first team for promising youngsters and more as a source of income for the club, which is basically what they 99% are these days. If we can turn profits on the likes of Tella, Meghoma and SAA then it’s relatively successful in that regard.

Yep completely changed from the days where 8 year olds James Ward-Prowse, Callum Chambers and Luke Shaw signed up and went through the whole system building an affinity with the club

 

[Patches O Houlihan]

3 hours ago, trousers said:

Fair point, but it's still reasonable to ponder how someone can go from being a key player in pre-season one minute to disappearing off the face of the earth the next. I'm sure for every Licka or SAA there's been plenty of players that have excelled in pre-season and then gone on to have an equally decent season thereafter. It's not an unreasonable expectation.

RM knew that it was important to try to keep SAA onside. But he also made considerable noise in the media about the immense physical pace, power and size of PL players compared to the Championship. We all knew that Will Smallbone would struggle with the step up - partly because he is not combative, but also due to his relatively slight build.

Now compare SAA to Will in terms of physical stature. Sam is quick and has good skills with the ball at his feet undoubtedly, and I have loved watching him play, and would hope that he would sign a new contract and stake a claim for a solid first team place in the Championship next year. 

BUT

• He and Megahoma arrived with a wiff of ABK style FIGJAM* about them, and likely would only sign for one contract.
• He got pushed off the ball plenty in the Championship.

Right now he's just not built to stop Mo Salah or a similarly powerful PL winger/LWB in full flight, and may never be. Maybe we don't want to gamble on him having the required growth spurt AND be willing to sign a new contract AND deliver on that early promise. Maybe that is just too many risks.

Plus if that ~£7m of profit allows us to keep Fernandes next season (or Ramsdale) then for me it will be worth it.

F**k

I'm 

Good

Just

Ask

Me

[Ex Lion Tamer]

23 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

So none say Spurs are "confident of getting Dibling over the line this window". Which is what I asked for.

He was agreeing with you. Stop looking for arguments

[Dusic]

Re Sam Amo, big questions to be asked on how his 'development' has been handled. 

Why wasn't he let out on loan at the start of the season, or 2nd half of last season?

Why did he go from training all the time with the first team to back to U21s recently?

Must have been so demoralising to have dross like BBD, Fraser, Cornet take your squad space and then be kept to play U21 football he has already proven to have outgrown.

The actual decision to sell now rather than assessing in the summer after a loan would be nice to have explained by one of the off field leaders at the club but sure instead we will have the usual "we wish Sam well" copy and paste statement.

(Re the bizarre post a couple up...he didn't ever give off any vibes of arrogance. Not sure where that and ABK similarities comes from...)

Edited Sunday at 21:16 by Dusic

[Harry_SFC]

8 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

RM knew that it was important to try to keep SAA onside. But he also made considerable noise in the media about the immense physical pace, power and size of PL players compared to the Championship. We all knew that Will Smallbone would struggle with the step up - partly because he is not combative, but also due to his relatively slight build.

Now compare SAA to Will in terms of physical stature. Sam is quick and has good skills with the ball at his feet undoubtedly, and I have loved watching him play, and would hope that he would sign a new contract and stake a claim for a solid first team place in the Championship next year. 

BUT

• He and Megahoma arrived with a wiff of ABK style FIGJAM* about them, and likely would only sign for one contract.
• He got pushed off the ball plenty in the Championship.

Right now he's just not built to stop Mo Salah or a similarly powerful PL winger/LWB in full flight, and may never be. Maybe we don't want to gamble on him having the required growth spurt AND be willing to sign a new contract AND deliver on that early promise. Maybe that is just too many risks.

Plus if that ~£7m of profit allows us to keep Fernandes next season (or Ramsdale) then for me it will be worth it.

F**k

I'm 

Good

Just

Ask

Me

Neither Ramsdale or Fernandes will be playing Championship football next season. 

[Appy]

Bednarek linked with Roma according to Craig Hope of Daily Mail

[Chez]

28 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

So none say Spurs are "confident of getting Dibling over the line this window". Which is what I asked for.

I think the reply you were looking for was "cheers".  

[Matthew Le God]

1 hour ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

He was agreeing with you. Stop looking for arguments

I asked a question, I didn't make a statement. You can't agree with that question.

Edited Sunday at 22:40 by Matthew Le God

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, Appy said:

Bednarek linked with Roma according to Craig Hope of Daily Mail

 

[Chez]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I asked a question, I didn't make a statement. You can't agree with a question.

"I'm a bit of twat, aren't I?"

"Yes, I agree."