Saint Albert

I’d be choked if Gabbiadini left and we kept Long. One of the benefits to selling Long, is that Pellegrino would not be tempted to play him over strikers who can actually score goals. The article could simply be incorrect, or made up. Or Gabbiadini could be homesick, or perhaps (most worryingly) this is indicative of Pellegrino’s influence over transfer policy.

Kevin Palmer tweeted yesterday that Sturridge was not so keen on coming here. According to this article from the Mirror, Sturridge wants a Saints move... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/disillusioned-daniel-sturridge-wants-southampton-11769386 The article also says that Saints are ready to sell Gabbiadini.

In the “couldn’t happen to a nicer guy category “, Lovren is being investigated for perjury back in Croatia... http://www.espn.co.uk/football/liverpool/story/3328015/liverpools-dejan-lovren-faces-perjury-probe-in-croatia-reports

Saints are one of a four PL teams linked with Athletico’s Gaitan... http://www.football-espana.net/69116/english-quartet-chase-gaitan

It might be that the club are conscious of the discontent simmering amongst the fanbase concerning Pellegrino, results in general, left over discontent from the end of last season, and the VVD sale to Liverpool, and are looking to boost morale by bringing one of our higher profile academy players home. I am personally still at the stage where I would love to see Theo back in a Saints shirt, if the price is reasonable.

I saw both Wilson stories as part of a planned campaign by the club to quell fan unrest caused by selling our best player to Liverpool, again, a few months after drawing a line in the sand on that very issue.

More from Kevin Palmer... https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/revealed-liverpool-ended-paying-25m-virgil-van-dijk-113836627.html Basically Saints reckon that they sold VVD for 25M more, than they would have got selling him last summer.

I remember reading the opposite- Swansea were all excited about signing him up but he was not interested.

I’m not that optimistic myself. A player is going to look at many variables when deciding whether or not to move here but when considering their options they will see a team that is two points out of relegation, has one win in the last ten, that is run by a so-far unsuccessful and not particularly well-known manager. I’m not sure that this temporary transition to big-spenders is going to produce the results we are looking for. It could just get embarrassing, as it often is for West Ham.

I’m struggling with just this issue. Right now the sentimentalist in me is winning.

I’m not ready to give Les the thumbs down yet. If the transfer window closes with squad needs still unmet, and Pellegrino still in charge with no sign of improving, then I expect I’ll be in the out camp.

Does anyone else think it’s a little unusual for the club to be this open about potential targets?

That would be interesting

LVG is tempting considering our present manager is ****e, but Man U did not work out very well at all for him.

You might be right...there’s a certain amount of emotional / romantic attachment to seeing Theo back in a Saints shirt that could override good judgement. I personally would love to see him back. He scored 19 goals in all competitions for Arsenal last season though and he still has pace, which we need. He’d be a decent addition assuming the price is OK. And if people are concerned with Theo’s injury record, Sturridge’s should be a major concern.

For those who think that transfer targets are exclusively the domain of Les Reed / Ross Wilson / the Black Box, in his press conference today Pellegrino stated that he has his targets and has handed his wish list for the January transfer window to the board... https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamBlackmore/status/946387394332413952

Knowing Pellegrino he probably sees Theo as an alternative for Boufal.

The problem is that the club may be treating it as a war chest for Pellegrino, not his replacement.

Isn't Giroud out until February?

Kevin Palmer claims to have inside info on how the deal went down here, after you read the first few paras... https://mobile.twitter.com/VirgilvDijk/status/946082493635084289/photo/1

For me it’s the only reasonable option, which of course means the club will not do it

We know that Les, Ross Wilson and co are in charge of player transfers, but still the manager will have a say. You just need to look at who we recruited when Koeman was manager. The manager is also key to determining outgoings. Puel is probably the reason we let Fonte go in last January’s transfer window.

Some managers like to have a say in transfers. They may not want to come to Saints if we keep Pellegrino, buy the new players, realize Pellegrino is still a crap manager and then begin to recruit for a new manager.

He’s posted a statement on Twitter. He at least had a few nice things to say about the club... https://mobile.twitter.com/VirgilvDijk/status/946082493635084289/photo/1

That amount of money (if spent competently) can get us a decent replacement, and get us the decent attacking players we sorely need. There’s a few ifs in there, but ultimately VVD did not want to play for the team.