Southampton Transfer Rumours

08 Jan 2022 20:14:42
We never make it easy for ourselves do we!
Good result - always good to be in the hat and hopefully we can take the momentum into Tuesday's game against Brentford.

05 Jan 2022 09:15:15
Quite a bombshell to start the NY with - new owners and with that, raised expectations. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how this will affect the club. Early statements suggest "no revolution" and business as usual because we are a "well run club".
I am cautiously optimistic that we can expect more demands for on field performance from the hierarchy as this will affect their stated ambitions for company growth - they need Saints to be successful to enhance business profile elsewhere.
I just don't know - maybe we can become less of a selling club and hang on to our prized assets. Or maybe there will be little appreciable difference from the fans' perspective.
I would be interested to hear what people think.

05 Jan 2022 21:39:51
I’d hope this will lead to something of a second black box revolution, being sensible in the market and no more Osvaldo or Ramirez buys. We do seem to be leaning into a method we experimented with a while back, buying fringe players off the bigger clubs, but unlike Lemina and Hojbjerg we now are looking at Chelsea and City having pinched KWP from Spurs as well.

I can’t see us hammering away at our transfer fee record, however unlike Gao, who unfortunately seemed to have his hands tied by the Chinese government once he bought us, we will hopefully now get investment, even if it is ‘just’ a few £10m each window, as opposed to having to always sell to buy. Small, sensible acquisitions, maybe £20m for the odd player who will become a future star.

The squad is in a decent place, we have a loan to pay off but given Gao bought us for £200m a few years ago and we are now worth £100m + £78m in debts, and the owners have the money, we should be looking up as there is in effect money spare to invest into the club.

Hopefully one or two buys this window, and kick on in the summer. For now we look ok - given Burnley, Newcastle and Norwich have won 4 times between them this season I think 34 is probably the mark, so a few more wins and we’ll be okay, then from summer onwards hopefully a better outlook for the club and city as a whole.

I’m glad we haven’t been Newcastled, I’d rather someone who would like to grow the club organically rather than sportswashing it.

06 Jan 2022 12:01:03
I'm very excited by the takeover, it has to be said. To be the staple in a football club investment strategy that looks to echo what Red Bull has done is a very exciting prospect. It'll take some time to implement and a lot could change by the time the project gets to where the owners want it to be.

That being said, in the short term, I think we'll be more stable as a club. Having investors that will want to invest in the club and the first team, to ensure its success and PL status will put us in a better position. For example, I don't think these guys will go down the route of what we make in the transfer market will dictate what we can spend in the transfer market. If they feel like that club needs the investment of new players to improve year on year, I'm sure they will help us out.

As you mentioned, I think we'll still look to be a "selling" club. Whereby we'll use our black-box method to look to unearth gems, who we can buy and sell for a substantial profit. However, with the direction of modern football and the inflation of transfer prices, I do think that if the club feels like they could buy the next big thing for a hirer price than what we're used to paying, then they might well pay that. So we might just see our transfer record broken.

07 Jan 2022 07:35:25
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. What a fabulous result with the Club’s takeover and future prospects therein.As per SaintGGsy recent post I tend to absolve GAO for lack of investment as the Chinese Communist Government imposed severe restrictions on any funds leaving China.However it appears the SFC now has a much brighter future and with Ramus Andersen involved at the helm which may result iin Ralph’s overall responsibilities being diluted but allowing him more time to concentrate on fine tuning the Team to achieve better results.Failure in this respect and Ralph may well be looking over his shoulder in the direction of Brentford FC.!

28 Dec 2021 16:58:18
Wow what a great point a real backs to the wall performance credit to all the players and I am the first to admit that Ralph got it right, it also helps to have a goalkeeper that looks the part and I hope that he keeps his place for the rest off the season

30 Dec 2021 20:51:47
Great point In the circumstances Norfolk Saint and a real tonic as we set up for Newcastle (Covid permitting).

However, not so sure on your assessment of Forster! He’s just as likely to cost us the game as he is win us the game. One top drawer save and one absolute howler which was fortuitously disallowed by Mr Taylor.

Hopefully, with a run of games his confidence and form will return but we desperately need a new GK.

18 Nov 2021 19:27:49
Is there any truth in the rumours of saints wanting to buy Sam Johnston from West Brom and Ritsu Doan from PSG in the January window?

{Ed002's Note - Sam Johnstone (G) Will not be sold in January but Spurs, West Ham and Southampton may look to offers in the summer.
Ritsu Doan (AM/RW) PSV are willing to let the player leave in January having identified an upgrade to him. Shakhtar Donetsk and Southampton have shown an interest although getting a Work Permit to play in England may be difficult.}

18 Oct 2021 11:23:13
EDs, do you know whether our loan deal with Chelsea for Broja has an option to buy?

I note that in recent seasons, players have been loaned between clubs with an option, but the option itself hasn't been widely reported, so it appears to be a straight loan. The KWP loan from Tottenham, if memory serves, was reported as a loan with no mention of an option until much later in the season/ start of the summer.

{Ed002's Note - There is no otion to buy Broja.}

27 Sep 2021 12:00:20
Had a bit of hope having not lost in four, but that's evaporated now. I don't necessarily think that Ralph needs to go yet, but he needs a number two to balance him out as he tries to get too clever when there's no need.

No goals in three, players already being played out of position. Classic Ralph trying to find wins when there's no creativity out there.

Forster
Perraud, Bednarek, Salisu, KWP
Romeu
Armstrong, JWP, Tino, Tella/ Moi
Armstrong

That's the best XI I think (injuries aside) - feel Tino is a bit wasted at the back when we have a very good RB anyway, free him up further forward somewhere in midfield.

But that might be tinkering Ralph can't work out while he's busy playing a RB at LB and playing Redmond at all.

30 Sep 2021 09:40:37
I agree SaintGGsy. If Redmond and Djenepo played for Watford, Newcastle, Norwich or any of the other lower Prem league teams they would struggle to get a seat on the bench yet Ralph seems to think that they both do a good job in the starting 11 for us. Unless Ralph comes up with a winning formula over the next 6 weeks I think he'll be gone before Christmas.

30 Sep 2021 12:43:15
That is a very damning truth. Went to watch Bristol City play last weekend as I live in Bristol and he definitely wouldn’t have stood out if he had been playing in that game. He probably wouldn’t make Fulham’s bench either. It is worrying if the management cannot see something that tens of thousands of fans can.

30 Sep 2021 14:47:19
The problem is, we're a selling club. We look for young players with big potential and sign them (Redmond, Djenepo, even Elyounoussi) . We give them big contracts, they don't ever reach that potential and even get worse over time. So what happens? The large clubs won't want to buy them (like we initially hoped) . Mid-tier clubs won't buy them because they can buy better talent at the same rate. Smaller clubs won't buy them because they afford them. So they need to stay at Southampton. Of course, that doesn't mean these players need to play every match.

But I agree with both of you, neither players offer us anything going forward. They don't create enough chances. They just fill space on the pitch.

02 Oct 2021 08:43:22
It is bizarre that Ralph can not spot what is so obvious to thousands. He keeps changing the forward line, but with virtually no service coming in from midfield/ wingers, we’ll never score goals. The contribution to attack from Djenepo and Redmond is virtually zero; add in the two defensive midfielders in Romeu and JWP and there isn’t a hope in hell of one of them doing a defence splitting pass.
In fact most of our attacking impetus comes from Tino and Perraud/ KWP
As everyone is saying, playing KWP at right back and move Tino forward. But I’m guessing just like Ralph’s stubbornness over not playing Tella, he will only play Tina at right back….
Another game against a great manager and team. Their manager will change the dynamics of their team multiple times over the game; Ralph will bring in Djenepo….

31 Aug 2021 12:54:18
Deadline day and not a rumour posted!
Perhaps we've done all the incoming business or is there a rabbit to be pulled out of the hat?!
Still hoping for a GK and an attack minded central midfielder although I suspect that won't be before the January sales!

31 Aug 2021 21:00:54
Looks like we are done. Some good names still going around, McKennie, Minimino and Barclay. Any bets on Saints pulling something out of the hat late?

31 Aug 2021 23:01:42
I highly doubt it as I write at 11.01pm lol!

25 Aug 2021 15:06:45
Looks like Lyanco signing later today for approximately £7.5m.

25 Aug 2021 15:33:19
The signing has been confirmed.

24 Aug 2021 11:13:57
Thierry Small signed up.

24 Aug 2021 11:54:43
Great signing!
I’m sure somebody mentioned before, but thinking about the reasons behind playing Tino ahead of KWP in the first two games may have been a Ralph’s statement to him that Saints will play young players in the PL - so sign the contract!

23 Aug 2021 23:47:34
Well, have to say that when the Saints Team was announced yesterday, both myself and Rob Easton (My best friend for 55 years) were dumbstruck. We haven't missed a game at St Marys for 8 years plus.

Being a Saints fan is an "Art Form" you have to roll with the punches and enjoy the high points, but as an RH supporter, i thought he had lost the plot.

How would he have played Theo Walcott, and Alex McCarthy again after last week?

To be fair to Ralph, we put one hell of a performance in collectively, but surely Fraser Forster is a safer pair of hands and how could we leave out Kyle Walker-Peters and Nathan Tella.?

Theo hasn't got the legs and Alex, just too leaky!

Brightest Points this season, Tino Livramento, Mohamed Salisu are fantastic. JWP committing to extend his long run at Saints is bloody marvellous, with luck he will be the next 'Lifer" very rare in this day and age, a true Saints legend in the making.

Hope Stuart Armstrong stays, he is for me our best outfield consistent player, just love the way he picks up the ball and heads towards goal true asset.

Want to say a 'Big Thank You' to the management, they have done a great job at recruitment this year in difficult circumstances. Its easy to think that more money would help, it wouldn't, attitude, fortitude and sheer hard work is paying off 'Well Done' all!