Dusic

Bree is probably the most obvious player we have that isn't good enough for PL level. Anyone who was fit last season and started relatively few games is clewrly not going to suddenly boss it in the PL. Imagine he will be able to get a Championship loan easily enough in August.

I get that to an extent but feel we always seem very slow off the mark on it and I have lost count of the amount of players we have ended up being forced into selling for fairly modest fees because they end up with 1 year left. You can pretty much tell after 6 months whether a player is going to be really good for us or not so would hope we look to reward those types with a pay rise and add another year on. Bournemouth did this recently with Solanke and now he has supposedly a 65m release clause that puts them in the driving seat. Brighton before they were established gave Dunk a new contract pretty much every season. Its definitely possible to be more proactive in this regard and I think its cost us quite a lot of cash over the last 10 years. We end up having players like KWP who prove themselves as v good PL players, in their prime, who we end up then having to sell for the same kind of cash it costs us to sign a replacement who is usually totally unproven and also has no time to adapt. That isn't a recipe for either financial or on field success.

Not suprised. From his perspective its a good move, pay increase, back in London and a good chance of being a first choice. Can't fault him for staying last season and being totally committed - nice way to leave a club with good memories rather than staying another season and quite possibly being relegated again. From a Saints perspective we cannot lose a £20m asset for free so if he won't sign an extension then little choice. We do seem particularly bad and getting out best players tied down sooner - others show it is possible even if just means getting a bigger fee the following year.

He got this pretty right, clearly a fan of RM. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/23824420.peterborough-owner-makes-bold-prediction-defends-russell-martin/

Edwards is short for a centre back (5'11) which is seemingly the reason he has been hyped for ages but nobody has moved for him. As a fourth choice to effeectively replace Holgate from last season he could be a decent option that would likely retain value even if he doesn't make it at PL level. THB, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards (hypothetically). Not the best pool for PL level but mix of youth and experience plus the ones we already have are at least good, committted professionals. That said, its Crook so likely Saints aren't in for him.

Has the suggested Sugawara talks been reported anywhere else? The Dutch media are usually pretty ITK about what happens in their bigger clubs so if anything were that advanced I would imagine they would be mentioning it. Maybe the fact the likes of Alfie House havent said its not the case make it more likely. Not to say there isn't truth to it. And he seems like the type of signing thats probably realistic for us.

One thing for sure re Alcaraz - zero point loaning him out again.

Edson Alvarez (WHU midfielder) picked up an injury for Mexico last night that didn't look great...possibly not ideal re Downes.

Exactly, the Turkish clubs know we will end up giving them Onuachu on loan at the end of the window so pretty sure thats exactly what will happen.

If we target some good value PL experience and know-how e.g free transfers and loan with option etc and it then gives a bit more financial power for 2 or 3 difference makers then I think thats a sensible approach.

I'm not sure you can anymore. It was 10 years ago that we signed Tadic and Pelle. Whilst we are still looking for those £12-15m signings, players of their quality/record cost probably 3 times that now and I don't think we will pay it. In reality we are looking at trying to get players either before they have been hyped or proven (Lavia, Edozie, Sulemana, Bazunu type signings), players who are talented but unwanted (KWP, maybe Downes) or players who are past their best but with something still to offer. Outside of that our best market by a mile is the EFL where we know there is talent and the likes of Wharton, Eze, Watkins etc show that. Scotland unless its a top player from Celtic or Rangers its a no as its such a poor league.

Wouldn't suprise me if Meghoma really pushes ahead of Manning with a good pre season. Agree a starting XI signing there is an absolute must.

Ings best two attributes are movement and finishing ability. Finishing he won't have lost, movement potentially but a lot of it is in his head and as far as I am aware at WH he has been fit and available almost 100% of the time but just not really suited to Moyes style. If we think his fitness is still at PL level then can see why there would be interest - he is about as a proven a PL goalscorer as we would be able to sign. My main concern would be that his best work always seems to be as part of a front two and its unlikely we will operate with that.

Pretty well balanced set of fixtures with no absolute horror runs (on paper). Statistically the 3rd kindest start so need to be picking up points across those first 6 games. Of a quick check of likely bottom third teams wouldnt say anyone has a really bad run in except maybe Bournemouth.

El Hadji Diouf syndrome

Wood is a known quantity as far as RM is concerned, and we could probably get him for less than we offered last season. He has played with THB for England and would likely be content with being mostly a squad player. THB clearly going to be a starter and I think Bednarek has shown at times he can be good at PL level too. With ABK future to be determined too. Would then allow greater spend where it is most needed, GK, LB and attacking areas.

Because he hasnt played there for 5+ years.

Yeah the point being that even if they weren't key players they have seen what it looks like being part of an elite environment. In our current squad there is nobody that comes anywhere close to Lallana from that perspective. THB obviously was at times probably on the fringes of it with City and has some good experience at youth Intl level but otherwise the most success the majority of our players have is probably from this season. Whether or not people feel it makes a difference is fair enough, but clearly at Brighton and within the Eng U21s they have valued his inputs on that side of things. Its easy to google the endorsements from Klopp, Potter and De Zerbi relating to what he brings off the field.

Would imagine its extremely obvious to the ownership that in order to stay up we will need a huge injection of quality, over and above securing THB and possibly Downes. Utterly pointless for the ownership to fight to keep the likes of KWP, Bednarek, Adams last season to go up and then just tamely go back down again. Agree it makes sense to bring in a couple of PL experienced players and personally think people are underestimating the influence Lallana can have - he is widely respected amongst players and De Zerbi really wanted to keep him. Important to train at PL level and Lallana has largely only played in successful PL squads - but not expecting much output from him. Hopefully by doing this we can spend on the areas that are really needed - in attacking areas (where we are set to lose our best central striker for free) and at GK, LB in particular. One thing is certain - don't spend and we simply won't stay up because our squad is easily in the three worst now and others will strengthen too - its a long window.

Not that interesting - its a better academy hence why his Dad did the same with him when offered a chance at Saints.

The talent is not in question with ESR, just the injury record. If fit enough to play regularly then £30m seems a decent price to me. If you want players who have proven themselves capable at PL level yet are still at a young age then thats pretty much the minimum you will need to spend. Our usual £15m will just buy unproven potential or a good track record in a poor league.

Sounds from the interview that he would have signed regardless of the result vs Leeds. Personally I think its a decent move. He is still a class technical player and I'm sure he will make occassional impacts which is what is expected of him. Around the squad he will absolutely make an impact. Clearly respected by other pros and by accounts of very good managers has been a great influence. We lack senior players who have really been there and done it at PL level and he has only really been at clubs that have been successful so knows what it takes. In our last couple of PL seasons we clearly had some bad eggs, players who probably didnt train well, who caused problems etc and I think he is the kind of player who will set standards and lead whilst being comfortsble that he may not be a key player on the pitch. Cheap, low risk move - not much to lose IMO.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24386526.james-ward-prowse-opens-heart-break-southampton-exit/?ref=twtrec Thats the way to leave a club (minus the relegation bit). Hope, and assume he would get a brilliant reception next season.

Think its pretty obvious what the situation is. He is a WH guy on a long contract there with likely most of his family living in Essex (think he is from Brentwood). If he has a chance of course he would love to make it there - why wouldn't he? The fact they have a new manager means he has probably a better shot at it than if Moyes stayed (and also would be less threat of being a championship player again in a year). Should it become clear he isnt going to feature enough there for his liking he has a 2nd option here that I am sure he would be keen on, and which is also fairly possible. Nothing will happen until much closer to the start of the season, or possibly after that as of the 3 parties involved, we are the only one that wants it all sorted ASAP and barely anything happens til July anyway as everyone is on holiday now. From his perspective he has two good options so is in a strong position with no need to rush anything or make public statements when he himself doesn't know what will happen.

Poyet got them promoted from L1 to the Championship and Hughton got them promoted to the PL and kept them there initially. Jones was a caretaker for a couple of games so actually 4/6 have done an excellent job which in modern football is a pretty impressive ratio. Their key has been the long term role of CEO Paul Barber who is very experienced in football and has been the constant there since 2012. In that time we have had Reed, Kruger, Rogers, Semmens (and Ankersen) and now Parsons doing that role.