Dusic

Imagine the chronological order for Journo reports is something like this: Watching.... monitoring.... tracking... targeting... escalating interest... agreeing outline personal terms.... mulling over a bid... preparing a bid... indicating will be submitting a formal offer.... making a formal offer.... as per Fabrizio.... scheduling medical.... passed medical.... announcement imminent.... announced... Note: increased risk of hijack from "making a formal offer" onwards.

Lumley and Aribo in those pics. Would imagine the likes of Lyanco, Djenepo, Perraud, maybe Larios would have featured. Edit - think Jem Hewlett (CB) is in the pic below.

On Piroe, if he moves to another Championship team then you would think its because we didn't want him, or because there is less certainty on Adams leaving. Simply because of the Martin connection you would imagine he would come to us over others. We really need certainty on Adams, who is training with the squad at Staplewood today. Don't think Piroe is some kind of superstar though, if he doesnt come here we will get someone else good if Adams does go, which seems likely.

Imagine Swansea absolute love doing business with Saints. Obviously nothing they could do about Manning and probably very little about the Academy Director either, but they will have a big say in any player sales, thats for sure!

https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2023/will-southamptons-nathan-tella-sign-for-bayer-leverkusen/?expand_article=1 Leverkusen determined on Tella. Have to say I am still not convinced he is a top level player, so anything over £20m would be a fair return IMO, especially if he wants to move. Of course with the caveat that we can replace him.

Totally understand why the club would sell him. As with the other likely outs (KWP, Tella especially) it will be the quality and success of the replacements which really determine whether the sale is a good or bad decision.

Looks like Sinclair Armstrong went off injured for them, hopefully he doesn't make this as he certainly looks like the kind of player who would cause problems on the counter attack. Two good away wins so far but would be nice to get a comfortable win at home for once...

https://www.kicker.de/tella-entscheidet-sich-fuer-leverkusen-abloesepoker-laeuft-964320/artikel#twfeed Leverkusen, in the Europa League, would be a good move for Tella, can see why he would be very keen on that.

Rather than gutted he seemed pretty relaxed about it all after the game yesterday. As he and Jason Wilcox have strongly hinted all summer, lots of players will leave. Adams will, KWP will, Sulemana will. Its hardly a suprise or shock to him. As for no sign of replacements, Russell Martin clearly knows more about whats happening on that front than us, so whilst he is calm about it I don't see why any of us should worry.

With Piroe off the market there aren't any obvious current Championship strikers who we might go for to replace Adams. Haven't been linked with many strikers at all really so will be interesting to see what happens.

The big differences in Brighton's strategy compared to ours are 1.) Tony Bloom has put in an absolute stack of cash, they haven't needed to sell to buy like we always did. 2.) Partly as a result of 1.) they have often bought replacements for players a long time before they leave and often have bough multiple prospects to see which turn out well. As an example, Caicedo was bought whilst they still had Bissouma and was loaned out. Ditto Mitoma, Van Hecke etc. They are very aggressive in recruitment of 18 to 22 yo players and have multiple prospects that are very highly rated, e.g Enciso, Buonanotte, Ferguson, Adringra etc so aren't really in a position where if one guy goes its a huge issue. They are just about to sign a LB prospect Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors who is very highly rated. Our use of outgoing loans has been woeful for the last 10 years really (probably Tella aside). Theirs has been very good. They have also exploited the South American market very well, which few PL teams have been able to. Seems they will be bringing inna few more from there in this window, and as a player going somewhere thats been a proven path, easier to settle etc is a big selling point.

I get the idea of learning the Russell Martin style, but if Ballard isn't going to get significant minutes in the first team, and thats hampered by going out of the League Cup, then surely he has to go out on loan - even if just until 1st Jan? He learns nothing playing in U21 football, where we already know he will score lots of goals. He needs to be playing mens football, either with us or somewhere else for now.

Controversial opinion perhaps but still not convinced Tella is worth anywhere near £20m and if he really wants to go (which is probably likely) then I wouldnt be suprised to see it happen. As RM has said all along, the squad will look very different in Sept and he seemed confident in the press conference this morning that incomings will start soon anf that we will have a strong squad come Sept.

Assuming he goes, we will definitely miss Adams more than some (many?) on here seem to think. Kind of amusing the clamour for someone like Piroe when we already have a player who has scored goals at this level, above it, and as an Intl for Scotland. Not that Piroe wouldn't be a good addition, but a starting Che Adams would pretty much be the best or level best striker in the Championship this season - hence he has PL interest from multiple teams.

Nixon saying Everton leading the chase for Che Adams with four PL clubs keen. He will be cheap for a PL side and with a year left on his contract you can imagine a deal will be done. The signing(s) to replce him will be the key one for us. Get it wrong and it will be very hard to get promoted I think.

Agree, however worth noting that aside from Downes there has been very little firm mention of Charles, Manning (and Lumley) deals until they were very advanced. Partly a non PL thing but also a good sign to be able to get things done without protracted media reports. I am sure we are weighing up loads of things and clearly will have financial backing but our two big obstacles are 1.) Some incoming are clearly tied to outgoings and 2.) Some of the players we want probably have interest from lower PL teams and also Leicester and Leeds with whom we have historically shared transfer targets.

No, not that simple. It depends on who the outs are, in position and status. For various reasons if any of KWP, ABK, Tella or Adams were to go they need to be replaced. Perraud, Djenepo, McCarthy, Onuachu etc could go without being replaced.

Our pal Nixon is saying Sheff Utd will go for Piroe if they can't get Archer from Villa. Obviously no idea on this or if we are really interested in Piroe but I guess it depends on whether Adams stays or not... Really need to start firming up the exits to be able to make moves.

Disagree. You have to split the squad into the key players, and the crap ones who add depth but make no real difference. IMO, its an absolute certainty that if any of these players are sold, they will be repalced by a signing: KWP, Adams, Tella The ones who pad out thw squad but could leave without being replaced would be the likes of: McCarthy (already signed Lumley), Perraud, Djenepo, possibly Mara if Ballard stepped up Then there are ABK and Lyanco. If they go then they would need replacing because all squads have four CBs minimum and our four are Stephens, Bednarek, Lyanco and ABK. If Zach Awe is seen as being able to be the 4th then perhaps only one addition would be needed. But of our key players plus ABK and Lyanco they would be replaced almost one for one, so if we sell a few more then we will end up making quite a few signings.

Still so much to do in 3 weeks, especially considering Smallbone injury. Minimum without additional exits beyond JWP & Lavia: 2 x CM Maximum assuming exits of Adams, KWP, ABK, Lyanco, Tella and/or Sulemana: 2 x CM, 2 x CB, 1 x RB, 1 x Striker, 1 x Wide player Would be up to 7 signings if those players leave as all would need replacing.

Exactly. Its clearly not accurate so no point even discussing.

Said at the time, why would a guy who just played two seasons as a starter in the Champ, and won Players Player of the Season last season, suddenly accept being a no3 keeper and not even making matchday squads? Would be more logical that we brought in Lumley knowing that AMc is likely to move.

Would a proven Championship CB be better than one with over 100 PL starts and 50 Intl caps for a decent European nation? On paper probably not. Certainly to replace Lyanco in the squad but as a starter? Sky saying Downes move is a straight loan, i.e no options and should be announced this afternoon.

I think this is mostly lazy cliché. We have signed Manning and seemingly Downes who have both experience at this level and of working with the manager. The likes of Tella, Arma, Adams, Smallbone, Bazunu all hae experience of the EFL and largely of excelling in it. Bednarek is has over 100 PL starts and 50 caps for Poland whilst Stephens has played a lot at PL and Championship level. Of our starting team today only Edozie and Alcaraz are relatively inexperienced. I would suggest we dont need any more "league knowhow" and not really sure what "grit" actually means in real terms? Yes we need to be better at set pieces but I would say thats the main thing so far that has been a clear thing to improve. Otherwise, rather than the things you have said the best thing to add would be better players, which is pretty much the same for any team in any division. And I would say in general we have much better quality players than 90% of teams in this league as we are.

What are the expectations of what we will spend on incoming for the rest of the window? The squad is still very big and RM said he wants to keep the likes of Doyle, Meghoma, Ballard involved so clearly we don't need squad fillers. I reckon probably about £25m to £30m with a decent chunk of that on a striker to replace Adams who I am sure one of the mid/lower PL teams will see as a handy signing for a very affordable fee due to having less than a year left. Overall that would mean a spend of £40m or so with at least one loan, pretty sizeable for this level.