Chez

Not many sides get better after relegation. We have lost KWP, Onuachu, Sulemana and Lumley. Downs and Quarshie have come the other way. Is the squad strengthened? difficult to know until we see those two players play a few games. I think it's fair to say we will lose a couple of our `wanted' and better quality players (let's say Ramsdale and Fernandes for argument's sake). So, to stand still (in terms of squad quality) we need to find two players as good as those, which is very unlikely. We then need to see maybe 6 more players depart (let's say ABK, Taylor, BBD, Armstrong, Bednarek and Edwards) and then bring in, maybe, 3 to replace them. All three replacements will need to be improvements for the squad to be strengthened. In reality, the quality is not going to increase. We might be stay about the same, if we are lucky, and that would be a win.

I guess that depends if we want to keep players like BBD, Armstrong, Bednarek, ABK, Taylor, Edozie, Fraser, Edwards... all of which could possibly move.

Do we really want to bring in players that Leeds and Burnley are sure are not good for the PL? I don't see the point in that. We are talking about players that are not even considered `fringe PL players, they are considered 'championship at best'. We have plenty of those.

Whether Gibbs-White goes or not Fernandes seems to be very much on their radar.

he's still with us because he's under contract and not yet left because our asking price for him is probably massive, so PL clubs may want to see a bit more before making such a big financial outlay. He has no control over the actions of buying teams, but just because there isn't a buyer right now, that doesn't mean he has no choice but to sign a new contract with us. A buyer could emerge at any point between now and the end of his contract in 2027. I am pretty sure his agent will have been contacted by a host of teams, so will be fully aware that Saints are not the only team that rate him. He's not signed a new contract with us because: a) we have not offered him as much as he thinks he's worth b) we are in the championship and he wants to play in the PL c) he doesn't have to sign a new contract if he doesn't want to d) waiting before signing a new contract gives him much more flexibility and negotiating strength

https://foot-africa.com/en/news/southampton-want-to-sign-morlaye-sylla-will-the-deal-go-through-799436/

Sheff Wed's Gassama has joined Rangers. I thought he looked a real talent and the sort of wide player we need. Less chance of Fraser going there now, if there ever was.

I am starting to think that it's probably only Only Connect contestants that have the brains to get your jokes.

When I assess him, and come to the conclusion that he was poor last season, I don't even factor in the handballs. His basic control of a football was appalling in the games I saw him play. Not sure he looked terribly good in either defence or attack. There was a couple of decent early crosses, in the West Ham game possibly, but other than that, there was absolutely nothing to applaud him for. Dropping down a division will give him much more time, thus his touch wont need to be top notch. Opponents wont be as good both defensively and offensively, so he may look OK in both areas. I am crossing my fingers that he finds his feet in the second season, which was often the case for overseas players coming into our league.

He's still only 20 and with the injuries ruining a couple of seasons you almost need to think of him as a 18 year old - and thus a little more time for him to show what he can do. I don't see the physical traits needed - pace and power, but he is an instinctive finisher and that can carry you a long way. Not sure the club will extend his contract. They could loan him out and then extend at Xmas if he has scored some goals?

Won't the agent get paid whether he stays or goes in the form of a percentage of the player's wages and/or signing on fees?

Dibling was given a 3.5 year deal almost immediately after his first first team game - so we did tie him down to a decent length contract before he was "let loose".

In: Downs, Quarshie Return from loans: BBD, Armstrong, Edwards, Charles, Edozie, Matsuki Out: Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, Onuachu, Sulemana, KWP, Lumley, Lallana (retired) Ugochukwu and Gronbaek return to their parent clubs Larios (on loan)

No arguments with the reasons why we conceded a lot of goals, and yes, THB and Bednarek did pretty well, but they were at fault for goals too. Superb is not the word I'd use. Very good might be a better fit. They were far from perfect. They made an awful lot of mistakes (that you may or may not not have noticed) that thankfully weren't punished. The championship was pretty average and it was only when we came up against some decent outfits that our CBs were tested and showed their limitations.

Bet his wages are sizeable, although a relegation reduction helps from a buyers point of view.

Plenty of footage of him here. At Wolfsberger he looks like he plays off the striker and makes a lot of very good runs into the box in an effort to score goals. A few headed goals too I notice.

Perhaps Bednarek's £6m release clause doesn't actually exist, because you'd think that would be as low as the club would go, so no point waiting until the end of the summer to try and get a bargain.

He was what, 16, when he went to Chelsea? He was a shy lad and believe it or not, he couldn't get a game for their academy side. The Chelsea academy was packed with extremely confident and talented England age-group players and he just didn't really fit in. And that's why he chose to come back to Southampton. That was three years ago. Since then, he has become a first team PL player. I suspect he's a little bit more mature and confident. Sure, his agent will have a big part to play in him not signing a new contract - and that's because it's his job - to negotiate the best possible contract for his client. If you are saying that we should call the agent's buff because he won't go anywhere, that's a very risky tactic.

He went out on loan but suffered a second new injury in April 2025 having played 8 games.

I understand where you are coming from, but to be fair, he did sign a professional contract with us that tied him to the club for 3.5 years. Just how long does he have to commit before he is allowed to play?

my conclusion is that you don't know what you are talking about.

spot on. Any PL gig and I'd be "yes please, where do sign"

cvs aren't worth the paper they are written on half the time. The £5m in wages on the other hand...

Forest linked with McAtee. City want £40m, Forest offering £25m. Sounds similar to their interest in Fernandes...and the difference in valuations.

Looks a good player, but like you say, maybe beyond a championship side. Unless we are talking champions league, I'd of thought biggest wage offer would win. Join a team for UEFA football and they could be out after a few games...and then you have three and half years with that club.