Dusic

Solid if not spectacular which is probably what we need for this league. Also slightly suprised its a 4yr deal but seems like a good character and is known for versatility too - decent signing likely for a minimal outlay and should solve a problem posirion with Bree as backup til his deal ends.

He has said the report of the new bid came from Ivan Karpov - an apparently reliable jounalist in Russian football so added to the extensive quotes from the agent earlier it probs has truth to it. The release clause was mentioned by Armeniefootball in a reply to someone so separate source. I imagine he is a fan who might have some limited info but mostly aggregates others as is the case here. Seems clear we want him, he wants Saints but unsuprisingly a Russian club isnt easy to take their best player and captain from.

Azaz seems like an alternative to Spertsyan position wise, albeit a different profile - less creative, more powerful. Good player for this level but not sure he would make much of an impact higher - probably quite far down our original list.

I reckon we will end up compromising with Everton for Dibling. Clear after only loaning Ramsdale that we have banked on cash for either or both of Dibling and Fernandes.

Leeds considering Spertsyan now. No incentive for Krasnodar to have accepted our initial offers this early on. Just as we haven't with Fernandes and Dibling. Doubt we get him but not really the fault of anyone at the club, its hard to sign good players. Farke was manager of Krasnodar in 2022.

In some ways I think we are in the best place we have been for a very long time regarding the level of deadwood/dross. Acknowledging the very specific ABK situation I find it hard to get worked up about the likes of Aribo or Smallbone, both of whom were very good last time at this level. Due to contract length it represents a good business time to move them on but if we end up with Aribo for another season we wil certainly find a use for him and he seems a good character. BBD and the couple of RBs would be ideal candidates to move on if we could but as with Aribo & Smallbone they are largely players who can do a job at this level rather than being a total waste of space. All clubs talk about getting rid of their dross but not sure we are any different than the norm tbh. The sales that will make more of a difference to who we bring in will be Dibling and Fernandes.

On Spertsyan - not sure why we would identify someone as a top target, seemingly convince the player of the move, make a bid to a team that will obviously be difficult to deal with (he is their best player afterall) and then just walk away before either he stays at his current club or moves elsewhere? Yes you would maneouvre some kind of contingency plan but would be bizarre to just call it quits with this long left of the window and clearly a lot of effort invested.

https://fbref.com/en/players/79b51257/scout/365_m1/Morgan-Guilavogui-Scouting-Report Interesting looking at the percentile chart here, he is obviously a physical player who can be a goal threat from wide. Ranks highly for non pen goals and XG alongside off the ball metrics but very low for creative attributes like progressive passes and carries. A very different profile from Spertsyan and Scienza. If we can get Spertsyan he would in theory combine nicely with a more physical forward like Guilavogui and someone technical like Robinson behind a striker. Way too early to judge anything yet, fhe last two weeks of the window are pretty much equivalent to the two months prior. As ever, judge after it shuts.

He just waved to someone with a half and half Lens and Porto scarf. Its over.

This saga just feels like one that won't end in us signing him.

We know from Parsons at the Solent forum that both are for sale for the right price. We just havent been offered that yet and could also reduce our demands. We know from recent example that relegated teams need to raise a lot of cash to balance the loss in PL revenues. We know that we have only loaned Ramsdale and haven't yet sold THB so we clearly need to sell at least one of Dibling or Fernandes to raise some big cash. We know that if Dibling and or Fernandes stay then they would start every week so signing anyone for a lot of money who plays the same position would be a little silly. Based on all of the above I think its almost certain that one of Dibling or Fernandes goes and very likely that both do, which then enables more incomings for us.

Feels to me like we need to sell Dibling or Fernandes to fund a couple more moves. We would prefer to sell Dibling as pure PSR profit and his value will start to diminish but Fernandes more likely to attract offers. The longer it does the more clubs know we need to sell one of them so no real incentive for them to offer much more than they are now. Will we call their bluff and keep both? Very unlikely. Incomings wise Spertsyan seems to have 'new contract or wait til Jan' vibes so the Brazilian guy makes sense - cheaper and from a market that is well known to our Sporting Director and Chief Scout. Don't see us spending what Cov would want to get Rudoni - he surely isn't worth £15-£20m?

Amazing how much more aggressive Sunderland in particular have been in the transfer market than what we did last summer. Will be interesting to see how they get on in particular. I see a lot of the table predictions have Leeds to stay up but the expense of West Ham or Wolves but not really sure that is based on much, they haven't made any particularly impreasive moves IMO.

Likely implication for Edozie sale. Supposedly he had chosen Brugge over Strasbourg but they are signing their alternative target.

New contract incoming!

Reading between the lines it seems the club would happily sell Dibling for a fair price and if we do play hardball with Fernandes then we probably need to sell Dibling, especially if we want to make at least a couple of sizeable signings of our own. I wonder how much we can do on incomings without a big sale first, or the knowledge one will happen? Especially as we didnt get big cash for Ramsdale.

From watching a good amount of clips of Rudoni, he definitely isnt a central midfielder for Cov in the way Downes is for us. Almost all of his assists are crosses, either from right side or from set plays. He has a nice left foot and takes a good inswinging corner. Most of his goals are from inside the box, often arriving to get on the end of crosses usually running from a central or inside-right position. Can finish well off both feet. Seems very different from Spertsyan who looks like a traditional number 10 creative player. Rudoni strikes me more as someone who could play off the right and drift infield and would give space for a fullback to overlap. But isn't really a huge ball carrier - so might balance nicely with a player like Robinson on the other side - although potentially a lack of pace across the front positions. Getting business done before selling Dibling I imagine.

Will be nigh on impossible to keep him but at least we should be set for a big fee given the amount of interest in him. So far he has personally seemed to handle it all very well which is an exception rather than the rule these days. Couldn't begrudge him a move to somewhere like Atletico Madrid. Top player and funny that despite some of the horrific business SR have done they have also managed to find the odd absolute gem. Seems mad that we weren't especially challeged to sign him last summer.

Believe it has been eatablished that Krasnodar are not owned by anyone with political links which changes the landscape. As a comparison, Sunderland were able to sign Wilson Isidor from Zenit in January on a permanent deal, so there must be legitimate ways of doing it. Seemingly he is keen but imagine they will be an absolute CB Fry to deal with so lets see...

After the success of this one, I for one hope Andrew Watson pens more insights for us to digest here on SWF. A wistful look back at the Prutts & Beatts show from Saints Radio perhaps?

I think in the end he will stay at Krasnodar, where he has been all through the youth setup, and probably sign a new contract there.

No point making an official offer until the player has decided he wants the move. Would also be a pointless "smokescreen" because it hasnt been reported anywhere in the mainstream media here.

Yeah would be pretty sure that Spertsyan was the #1 attacking midfielder target Dragan Solak refered to when he said we could sign in three key positions without needing to sell anyone. Would imagine they have put a deadline on it and if they have indeed got to the point of making an official offer to Krasnodar then hopefully they have had some indication he is interested.

RB surely an area to target. Neither Bree nor Sugawara are the right option.

Noticeable how much more composed Shea Charlea was today than when he played in his first season with us - was very good today and lovely ball over the top for Manning's run at the end. Seema like someone who can run all day too. Will be a big player this seaaon if we can keep hold of him. With two years left on his contract I hope he is one we are trying extend.