Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

Don't get much for £40 million these days. 7 league goals?

It seems to me there are 3 categories of players right now. Group 1 are those Ralph wants to retain and work with this season, group 2 are those who he clearly wants rid of (Austin, Lemina, Carillo, the now departed Clasie) and group 3 are those who he may prefer to be sold so as to strengthen other areas of the team but who he is happy to utilise if they show the necessary application if a move doesn't materialise (Cedric, Hoedt, Boufal). I'm surprised to see Hoedt in that group and hope Boufal takes this chance under Ralph, if that's what it transpires to be.

Ethan Ampadu has completed a loan move to RB Leipzig from Chelsea. I wonder if that frees up a CB at Leipzig?

Sheff Utd apparently struggling to get Dean Henderson back on loan from Man Utd and are considering alternatives. Give 'em a bell, Ralph, and highlight the fantastic keepers we have available...

Knockaert off to Fulham from Brighton according to Sky https://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11681/11766661/brighton-winger-anthony-knockaert-having-fulham-medical

Indeed. Plus, as he currently isn't even signed on at a club, this draconian punishment stands at: man who doesn't have a football club can't play football for 2 weeks. I bet Sturridge cries himself to sleep at night...

Sheff Utd sign Ravel Morrison. Now there's one who never really lived up to the earlier hype.

Get West Ham on the phone. They could have Austin for a fraction of the price...

Norwich sign Sam Byram from West Ham for £750k. A highly rated prospect at Leeds for whom it didn't work out at West Ham, who's now getting a chance elsewhere. £750k is peanuts these days too.

I guess a physically up to speed Hoedt might be easier to shift than a Hoedt who will need to play catch up. I mean, it's not like he's got any other limitations we'll need him to overcome...

RB Leipzig back in for the oft-Saints-linked Ademola Lookman according to the BBC. Not sure we'd still be interested now we have Djenepo anyway.

Sheff Utd confirm the signing of Irish international forward Callum Robinson from Preston in a record deal for them.

News of "verbal commitments" is always concerning. Whilst he's not worked out brilliantly, at the outset I did wonder how we got him here from Juventus and a Champions League final (substitutes) appearance. Maybe the verbal agreement was to get him here for a couple of years so he could attract bigger PL clubs and with that came a sense we wouldn't place an unrealistically high price tag on his head, which we are now honouring? Pure conjecture from me, and rather daft if so, but I bet it happens in some deals...

I'd agree. I'd rather have a proven, decent player on £100k pw, then several cr4p equivalents on 50k-60k pw.

Interesting comment from the Express but Mario wants to go to United... https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1151245/Mario-Lemina-Manchester-United-Arsenal-Leicester-Southampton-Premier-League

United, £18m? https://www.teamtalk.com/news/man-utd-given-permission-to-open-talks-with-18m-southampton-ace

Interesting to see Wesley Hoedt on the plane. If Ralph can turn Hoedt into the CB we really need, he's more football miracle worker than football manager.

Interestingly, he'll be coached by another former Saint in Maik Taylor, according to the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48909527

Positive noises for our kits from a non-Saints media source: https://www.footballfancast.com/exclude/the-best-and-worst-kits-ahead-of-the-2019-2020-season/1 https://www.footballfancast.com/exclude/the-best-and-worst-kits-ahead-of-the-2019-2020-season/6

Micky Evans. But ended up being worth it just for those goals against Nott'm Forest.

Tottenham sign Ndombele from Lyon. Does that make Big Vic available (albeit not falling within our under 24s only profile)?

Or maybe he's in the way of Christoph Klarer who looks to be a promising CB?

He was in photos I saw of the 1st day of training yesterday, so I guess nothing is imminent there.

Will be fine in the dugout?

All done according to the Liverpool Echo: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-handed-20m-transfer-boost-16514596.amp £18m down, £2m additional.