Southampton FC Rumours

28 Jul 2025 17:43:06
Sorry to see Jan Bednarek to leave, always liked him as a player. I feel some criticism against him was unjustified. Ramsdale looks like he's off, I hope it works out well for him, another player who I feel always tried his best
My worries are : AA has been woeful preseason following on from the same whilst on loan at WBA, Brereton Diaz ditto but with Sheffield Utd. Archer also has not stamped a claim on a strikers spot and WS doesn't seem to rate Stewart.
From what I am told no club has moved heaven and earth for Dibling but today Brentford have enquired but want a deal much lower than Saints valuation. Ipswich have enquired about Downes, Rangers want Fraser not Edozie. Ajax want Sugawara on loan and Birmingham want Edwards but Saints are not going to sell him.
Interest is starting to hot up.

28 Jul 2025 23:52:30
Given the absolute state of last season, anyone being sold wouldn’t upset me too much. If we get money in from them, it allows Still to build his own team. I imagine we are as always tight with the figures so need to sell to buy, but the more we get out of the door the more quality we can hopefully get in.

Dibling will go, so will Ramsdale - they’re too good not to. THB, Sugawara, ABK, Downes, Armstrong, Diaz and Archer aren’t as good as they think they are, but would all be handy in the Championship. Any of them going wouldn’t be a bad thing.

I still think we will get a lot of movement - the big clubs are sorting out their front lines, meaning the mid table clubs will then use the cash they have to sort theirs, and will look to find deals or spend big on quality - once that’s done, they’ll buy in other areas. As we don’t fall into the first category, it’s just a waiting game or seeing what interest we get overseas.

We need a GK, RB, CM, CAM. With Ramsdale and Dibling money, we should be able to do that. I don’t think they will go for CBs - we bought potential players two years ago in Edwards and Wood - and we have five strikers on the books all of similar quality. We won’t be able to afford to splash out for more.

Problem area for years has been in attacking midfield - we haven’t had a properly good winger since Mane left - but if still goes back 3 then it’ll be more on #10s hence the importance of Fernandes, though I think he may be off too, purely for the fact that we could double or triple our money in a year.

Two weeks to Wrexham, I think we’ll be unpleasantly surprised by a 1-2 loss!

29 Jul 2025 10:34:09
It’s deeply worrying. Broadly speaking, we’re looking to off load the better half of the squad, recoup some money and rebuild. All that with a novice manager and a pool of players who struggle to beat Eastleigh among others. Granted, they were pretty meaningless friendlies but nevertheless one looks for green shoots of optimism. Nothing.

So what baffles me, is how some of our respected posters on this forum believe we are strong candidates for promotion? Our squad was far better last time round when we dropped into the Championship.

This time, as I’ve repeatedly said, we are mid-table at best. As I said, deeply worrying.

29 Jul 2025 16:04:44
I still think we have a good shot at promotion. Our defence is more inexperienced than last time but a Downes, Charles and Fernandes midfield would be solid. Robinson is a good upgrade on Edozie. We have a fit (for now) Stewart, plus Archer, Armstrong and Downs so 4 good 2nd div strikers vs 2 last time.

I can see a slow mid table start as the team and manager adjust then climbing up to the playoffs with our superior squad depth and fitness over the winter months.

With Saints nothing would surprise me though and depends who stays, fights and finds form.

29 Jul 2025 17:37:24
If you’re right (and I hope that you are) the January window will be key. By then we should know where the gaps are and who can and cannot cut it. I think a lot will hang on whether we see the Armstrong of old or the latest version - slow in mind and second best in challenges.

30 Jul 2025 04:52:44
Completely agree @Millertime

A lot will depend on 5 things
1. If our strikers can replicate previous Championship successes
2. If players that excelled at mid table sides like Edwards, Charles and Wood can perform at top 5 level
3. How fast an almost new 11 vs last season, plus young manager can gel
4. How well Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry and Wrexham perform
5. Who comes in and who goes in the summer and Jan.

10 sides have a shot at promotion. I am hedging my bets and predicting 5th/6th behind Ipswich, Leicester, Sheffield Utd and Birmingham, plus maybe Coventry/Wrexham.

30 Jul 2025 08:53:21
Birmingham have recruited very well, could be a dark horse for top 6 finish

30 Jul 2025 17:10:02
It’s definitely a hard league to call.

Outside of Southampton, fans across the other clubs are tipping Saints as one of the favourites to go up.

Which can be a hindrance if we set up to not lose rather than go out to win games.

That winning mentality has been a scarce commodity of late and I just hope that Will can boost confidence levels.

Each day brings news of other leavers - Rambo all but gone and a surge of interest in Fernandes.

What will give me nightmares is seeing McCarthy back in goal.

Still 10 days to go!

22 Jul 2025 07:05:15
Downes, THB, Bednarek, Matsuki and Dibling are all out for 'injuries'.

Any intel on who is about to leave and who might stay?

22 Jul 2025 20:33:57
Matsuki is apparently going out on loan. Would not surprise me if the other four all go. THB thinks he’s better than he is, Downes isn’t great unless he’s playing for Martin, Bednarek is another year older, Dibling probably isn’t interested in playing championship. The fun is only just beginning!

24 Jul 2025 06:55:41
Shame about Matsuki, could do with another CAM.

We are overloaded with CBs, so need to move some on or even try Wood or Jack as a 6, if Downes goes.

24 May 2025 17:13:31
Looks like it's Will Still not Rosenior. At least still has something to prove not a losing streak with a club that's won a title many times (Roma)

24 May 2025 12:04:33
Tom Cleverly seen at Saints U21 Final! Are Saints about to screw up another appointment? Will Still is by far the better choice, over achieves, tactically very aware, good defensive record which we have lacked for 3 seasons now. This is a bad move when Still is available!

19 May 2025 09:07:06
We better not accept the offer of Matt Targett and a couple of millions for Dibling. Just get better players from elsewhere. I feel like Targett will become a Fraser or a Stewart.

19 May 2025 19:20:03
Targett - seriously? We will all go to hell in a handcart.

18 May 2025 10:38:21
The Independent is quoting Will Still as favourite. He has just left Lens.

What are people's thoughts?

Seems to have done well in France.

Young guy, new league, partner with medical issues and a club in crisis. It's a lot on his shoulders.

18 May 2025 19:39:02
This would just be another punt - and the others didn’t work out well.

We need someone who can rebuild a totally broken spirit - our team are damaged beyond repair. As I have said previously, it will be a good 3 years before we are able to compete for PL status. Once our squad has been asset stripped we will be on the same level as Norwich, Blackburn, Millwall and QPR.

09 May 2025 10:48:49


bailey has written an article entitled, Southampton FC Players Overview

04 May 2025 12:11:36
I combined the squad evaluation from Glen De La Cour and intel from 2408 and recent rumours into our potential squad next year. What do you think?

Patterson*
van Ewik Jack** Edwards Wellington
Downes. Charles
Armstrong. Fernandes*** Archer****
Onuachu*****

*McCarthy or Patterson (rumour)
**Bednarek, Jack, THB (unlikely), Wood
***Fernandes (hopeful) or Rudoni
****Archer or Sainz or Diaz
*****Onuachu (doubt), Sargent/Conway or Stewart (if fit)

SUBS/SQUAD
McCarthy
Bree
Wood/Stephens
Sanda
Manning (or start)
Smallbone
Matsuki or AM loan
O'Brien Whitmarsh
Sulemana or Edozie (start or sub)
Fraser
Robinson
Stewart
New Striker (15m - push to start)

SELL 150m+
Ramsdale. 20
Bazunu. 10
THB. 20
ABK. 8 (keep if attitude changes)
Bednarek 6 (rumoured clause)
Sugawara. 7
KWP. 0
Taylor 0
Dibling 40
Aribo. 5
Diaz. 10
Amo. 8 (should have kept)
Larios 5
Edozie or Sulemana 10-15
Onuachu (8m.- if sold)

05 May 2025 22:59:24
With that bunch of underachievers we’re all going to Hell in a handcart. Seriously, where are the winners amongst that lot?

We are also making assumptions that clubs will want to pay serious money for players who have proved they cannot compete.

Guys, please get real - we are where we are for many reasons and not least because they are simply not good enough

06 May 2025 07:07:18
Hi @Millertime,

I am going on what I think will happen, not what I want to and I share your deep disappointment.

I think two or more seasons in the Championship might actually be good for us. Bring through promising youth, gel a new generation together and ease off the pressure.

I think the above could snatch us 6th with a good manager.

06 May 2025 21:57:58
A root and branch culling is certainly required. We need a cultural reset - we are devoid of ambition in the Board Room and that translates into low expectation through the club and onto the pitch.

A couple of seasons in the Championship may well be the answer - I don’t know?

07 May 2025 06:47:06
In an ideal world, we would keep KWP THB, Dibling and Fernandes, sell a lot of struggling players for 100m and bring in some quality players on loan to buy deals.

Remember the Cortese, Fonte, Lallana and Lambert days?

11 Apr 2025 08:34:03
We could be about to see a complete 180 by Southampton.

Russell Martin has been in discrete talks with the board about returning as manager in the summer.

13 Apr 2025 08:36:25
Well that would please at least one fan. Good morning Lesleee!

09 Apr 2025 13:25:59
According to TBR football we are trying to o get Stevie G as a manager.


Bro failed in Saudi ane his replacement at Aston Villa has turned that club around.


Obv not a amazing and valid source but its the most Southampton thing to do is not sign the manager we need but pick a free agent that would do something right.

10 Apr 2025 04:14:58
Should the two current favourites become unavailable for any reason then Saints FC could turn to the well rested, proven and outstanding Coach Steve Cooper followed by Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick. KOM.