Dusic

We are all expecting/hoping to sell at least ABK, Salisu, Lyanco and DCC. We will need to sign new CBs. Not all of them will be starting XI every week type signings. Wilcox knows the pool of good academy players better than most so if he thinks he will add to the squad then I'm sure he will. Low risk signing and exactly the kind that, alongside some more established types, we should be looking to make.

Hard to judge these type of roles over a short period, also because we don't know the specifics. In many cases we seemingly identified very good players (Gakpo, Ramos, Hojlund, Colwill etc) but obviously didnt sign any of them. Now I highly doubt that it was Shields handling negotiations with other clubs on the specifics, always came across that he was more a talent ID guy and arguably you can do that well and it falls down in the negotiation side. I would imagine given his background Shields also had a role in the signings of Sam Amo and Jayden Meghoma. Those could prove very valuable at low cost in the medium term. Even now there has been very little mention of Darren Mowbray (Shield's replacement). I don't think Martin has even refered to him, instead putting the responsibility on Wilcox. So very hard to really apportion blame to individuals in any kind of educated way IMO as we don't really know who did what. It seems a bit clearer now.

Second part of the article very good too. Wilcox was a key appointment and I thonk a good one. He has credibility and the transparency is also appreciated. The club need to bring supporters with them, not treat us as mugs and explaining clearly what they are doing is simple but really helps build bridges.

Good if Lavia gets done soon, hopefully movement on others too to give RM clarity. Re Sulemana, wonder if his is a situation where a loan would be the best option, if he is determined to leave this summer? He still has 4 years left and a good season in France would increase his value. If we sold him now we would probably get less than we paid which seems pointless, especially as he is clearly a player of high potential and with some in demand characteristics. There is also the factor that if we sell all the players with PL quality/potential and still go up we would have a huge recruitment need next summer to be competitive at PL level. A loan could protect the asset and give future options.

Thats what happens when you get relegated and some players have interest from the PL. There is a foodchain and we have fallen down it.

As ever, if Tella wants to go (which I am sure he does) then every player has a price. He has 2 years left on his contract and I am sure wouldn't currently sign an extension. His stock is high after last season, he has never performed well at PL level so his value is currently at its highest. Like with all offers, its the start of a negotiation. If they stump up our value then he will go and I expect he probably will.

Personally far from convinced that Bree is a starting XI quality player for us in this system. Assuming KWP and Livramento go, I think we should be bringing in someone better than Bree. His only particularly successful time has been in a Nathan Jones Luton team playing a total different style to what we now play, and I havent seen anything to really make me think he is anything other than pretty average.

Some proper weirdos out there, especially the anonymous ones.

I thought it was a good game at decent intensity where the difficulties Martin faces were clear. Centre back is a bit shambolic - we need an addition who can play the style but badly need rid of probably three minimum (ABK, Salisu, Lyanco). I guess Lyanco only played because Bednarek is injured but Charles and Lyanco will never start as a CB pairing so nothing really gained. At full back KWP and Livramento are so far ahead of Bree, who is basically a mannequin (another poor signing) yet he doesnt know if either or both will be able to play the first game let alone much after that. Midfield we are short in the #8 position assuming JWP goes. Clear that Alcaraz is better the further forward he plays. Then up front he has basically one viable option that will be here after the window in Adam Armstrong and I'm still far from convinced he can play up front on his own and be effective. Can see an obvious style and lots of good things but we really need to start getting rid of some players and enabling RM some certainty and a chance to add in key areas, particularly at centre back which is surely set for big churn in the next month. Oh, and giving Djenepo a 3yr extension was a terrible decision.

I wouldn't read much into any values stated by journos, particularly on opening bids. I mean Arsenal didn't go straight in at £105m for Rice did they? Figures are fed by agents and clubs and clearly in the case of JWP and Lavia they aren't being fed by Saints. We all know that these players will be leaving, the club have known for ages and so have prospective buyers. From what we know of Ankersen and especially this summer, there is no chance we will sell these guys for way under what we think they are worth. Everything now is just negotiation and then at the end when it done the buying club journos will hail the great deal their club did and ours will say we stuck to our value and got a great deal. Not worth getting into a flap about. The best thing for Saints is to get a fair price and get it done so we can move on and get in our own targets. All IMHO of course, Morph

Opening bid so obviously just a starting point but expect it will happen. He is too good to waste a (tournament) year in the Championship and everyone glosses over the financials too from his perspective. We have been relegated, we will need to sell some players and particularly our highest earners so sooner it happens the better (assuming a good offer ends up being made).

Annoying to have Lyanco and Salisu deals collapse when both were seemingly decent for us. Imagine we have CB targets but can't really justify signing any when we have 6 senior ones on the books and no real signing of getting rid of any. Hopefully our targets continue to be patient...

He's been injured. Big blow for him and seeing as he played the final game of the season and hasn't featured at all in pre season you have to assume he did it over the summer. If he misses all of pre season I wonder if a loan til Jan might be best for everyone to get him regular starts which he is still unlikely to get for us IMO.

He only just turned 17 so only now can sign pro. He likely agreed one as part of his scholarship move but most of the others only signed two years until 2025 (which is pretty normal). I think ideally we would want a little more security than that for him given he looks very much like being a first team squad member this season.

Meghoma pro deal confirmed, Sam Amo's should be shortly. Hope its more than a 2 year deal as he won't go unnoticed for long, especially with a bit of end product. Great piece of recruitment to nab him from Spurs.

Our old friend Nixon saying we are leading rhe race for Ross Stewart. Not seen much of him before but certainly looks to have something about him and a very good goal record for Sunderland, albeit currently recovering from injury. One to watch perhaps, or maybe just Nixon helping him earn a new deal at Sunderland.

Downes doesn't want to leave West Ham this summer according to Football Insider, who MLG always said was very reliable. Assuming we play often with the deep #6 and 2 x #8s I think only Charles will be suited to the #6 role as Smallbone too lightweight. RM said there are some positions we have depth in and some we don't and once Lavia and JWP go, there is clearly a need for someone else who can do the #6 role and then probably a #8 type too. Likely all four of our CMs from last season will be gone by Sept.

Agree that patience will be thin but also we need to be realistic. He doesn't know which players will still be here in September and its widely expected that the vast majority, if not all, of our players who would be amongst the very best in the league at this level will be leaving. Obviously important to get off to a good start and he and the club will be well aware of that but there has and will be so much change between May and August/Sept that I think its reasonable to expect some up and down results to start with. The Championship is a long season where you can make up ground quickly and the absolute last thing we need after last season is fans getting on a managers back after 5 games because we haven't won them all or looks a bit disjointed. As Martin said yesterday we are moving from one end of the spectrum to the other in terms of styls of play. That won't come together straight away, especially when our best players and real difference makers will be sold.

Fully expect KWP to move. He is too good for someone not to move for him and would probably be affordable for 90% of PL teams. The vast majority of deals happen in the last two weeks of the window so still plenty of time. Is Bree, Larios and Abu enough options at RB? Doesn't overly enthuse me compared to what we have been used to.

He was decent in a very direct team (totally different to our style). I don't think he was some kind of huge standout and wasn't really linked to any other PL sides. He is not on Tino/KWP level, probably a few levels below so its a big downgrade versus having kept TL, without question.

Lets be honest from KWP/Livramento to Bree is a massive drop off. Not saying its unavoidable because it probably isn't but no point dressing it up. KWP or Livramento would have been the best RB in the league without question. Bree isn't.

Given we all know that the likes of Lavia, JWP, KWP, ABK will be almost certainly moving this window, I think losing Livramento to Newcastle would probably be the most frustrating exit if that happens as seems pretty likely. Not suprised they would go for him but had hoped he would be a nice way to lose KWP without feeling a massive drop in quality in that position so losing both would be a pretty big blow. Bree, whilst not awful, is clearly levels below the other two and if we are to go up we need some players who are clearly the best or amongst the best in their position in the league and Tino (or KWP) would certainly be that.

He essentially is saying that Martin will have an idea of who is likely to stay/go i.e JWP, Lavia, Salisu etc but not definitive. Also as RM himself has said some players will play the first few games and then leave. Mentions that a deal could still be struck for Livramento for example, who Martin would obviously want to stay. Not ideal but its where we are in the food chain following repegation and I don't think there is a whole lot anyone can do about it unless they decide its better to sell players for under their value rather than waiting a month or so.

Summary of latest Tanswell article on The Athletic: - No firm interest in JWP at an acceptable price level (upwards of 30m) but likely to go late in window - Lots of Lavia interest - Pretty much anyone else could go for the right offer

Awful player, awful signing but probably a decent guy. Hope he has a good career and enjoyed his time in the greater Salisbury area.