Chez

Not many England U21 international from the championship will go under the radar, so you'd hope we have had a good look at him, especially seeing as we had a pretty good idea we needed a left back from a long way back. I hope we had a very good long look at Omar Richards too who went on a free from Reading to Bayern Munich. With us going for Perraud, it will be interesting to compare these three players over the next three years (fat chance we will remember) as you would assume we could have got any of them had we tried. Having said that, why Richards would have turned down Bayern for us I am not sure...

Bowyer took a look and didn't fancy him ahead of Colin Maxin. Brum then won a batch of games to keep them up. I've rather have him than Bednarek at right back, but we need more competition than he provides.

can you give us a short synopsis of that criteria? Perhaps a four or five point check list that we on here can choose to ignore when its a player we'd like Saints to sign.

your post got a little lost in the Jones discussion. Interesting prospect - with Forrest already bidding for him. The question is, is he good enough to play in the Prem. I don't remember him in the two Derby games I watched last season. Have you any insight? I've watched one youtube video. He's very one footed, looks composed, decent pace, decent size. The clicks showed some decent passes and crosses, but not enough content to make an assessment. He wont be going for £1.2m. I think Derby has an option to extend his contract by another year, so he won't be walking for a free next summer. Probably have to pay about £5m before they got interested - I think Bogle went for about that as part of a dual sale to Sheff United.

If I wanted to get £15m plus out of Saints, this is the perfect way to tell them not to bother offering less.

Question folks. Just how large do you think the signing on fee pid to Ings will be, should he stay this season, then walk on a free next, assuming he has a sold season? If he is conservatively worth, let's say £25m right now, would he get a £10m, £15m, even £20m signing on fee (or the equivalent added to his wages)? Whatever the answer, that is the incentive for him to walk on a free - instead of spurs handing those millions to Saints and him seeing nothing of it, it could all go into his pocket.

who would appease them? How do you replace the `best striker' in the prem and with who? We have been here ourselves. Every signing appears a backwards step when you lose a star, but given time, the replacement can fill the boots, sometimes.

Big style. They had Carlos Vinícius on loan last season, so there is a gap there anyway that Ings could fill. Kane departs and they will be desperate for proven quality, with or without Jesus being part of the deal. That gives us a bit more power in any discussions. Both parties will want a result and levy will have to pay the going rate. If Kane stays and they come in for him, they will low ball us and we will be faced wiht that nightmare of take what they offer or allow millions to disappear off the balance sheet.

Buy a player thats better than you have and ship the lessor player out. Simple and I fully endorse that. But its not simple. In general, the way we are run (and have to be run from a financial standpoint) in terms of recruitment is one out, one in. Bertrand leaves we get a new left back. If someone comes in for a player with the right fee, we can then replace that player. What doesn't happen is we buy a player for a position we are fully stocked in terms of numbers, no matter how poor the `incumbents' are. The finances just don't permit it. The only option available is to try to ship players out, but offloading players that are deemed not good enough, on wages that are too high for the level below, is almost impossible. That's why Forster etc. are still here. Both keepers are out of contract next season. That is when you can make the change - unless of course you can ship one out. Suitors are not exactly queuing up. Celtic we are looking at you. Goalkeeping at Saints is a mess.

isn't that what we have done? Maybe not unaffordable, but a massive loan nevertheless on a sizeable interest rate that, if we don't start paying off will, in five years time, be over £100m. I wonder if that covered the shortfall in income to pay wages or is being used to pay for new players this summer as the next Sky payment perhaps coms in too late. Probably both.

Now I remember. Tricky situation. Put at risk a multimillion pound contract to do your old club a favour.

shudder. Remind me again of the scenario? Was he denied a move or did he indicate early that he was seeing his contract out and then put his feet up? Did Bournemouth mess him about a bit or was it all down to him?

fair point, but does trying hard actually equate to greater injury risk?

third (realistic) choice, not 10th. City don't need to settle. If City want to be best in the world, they cant afford to settle on 10th choice. Our aims and requirements are somewhat different.

big style. I wonder how much we spend compared to others. Where are we going wrong? Or are we? What's the story with Tella as that could well be the next big thing.

he's here until 2022...joy.

murdered us that day. He had a good start their (WBA), but not sure he was as effective in the final four or five games. Why not get him in and play and extra man in midfield. I got fed up of our inflexibility of formation last season.

good luck to them. Cant seem them getting that, just like we won't get £35m for Ings. Have we other options in the £10-£15m bracket I wonder?

there is quantity, especially with their `satellite' centres `stealing' talent from under or noses, but they also hoover up the best kids. Seems a long time ago that Luke Shaw turned them down for us. Not sure many do now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57917043 Dream article for anyone trying to offload a keeper called Forster. However, article also shows that picking up `good' less costly European keepers doesn't always work out.

Liability? Behave. He's an asset. We either get a fee or we get a quality player for oe more season.

I just don't buy it that Man City have a long list of strikers and will just keep going down it till they get one. They will have a very short list. They get one of those or they stick with Jesus. I don't think Ings is on that short list. These guys are looking to be European and world champions. Ings can play, but he ain't in the same conversation as Mbappe.

I thought his levels dropped a little from the season before, but I try to avoid watching too much Liverpool, so may be way off the mark. I agree though, Ings will give his all if he doesnt get the move he wants this summer.

f City cant get the likes of Kane or Haaland (the world's top strikers), I don't believe they will settle for xth choice Ings.

how many would Gary Lineker score with the service we currently offer?