Matthew Le God

Cortese wouldn't have said those things 3 weeks before the window opened unless he knew the view of Alex and his father. Cortese would have been fully aware in December there was a very good chance a very large team would place a bid. Cortese would be foolish to say he won't be sold without knowing beforehand through discussions with the Chamberlains that Alex would stay even if someone like Arsenal came in for him in January. In any case £5m with £5m at a later date is not a good deal for someone that has over 15 years as a top player left and plays for a team which is funded by the estate of a billionaire. If Saints are spending money whether or not they sell players, why sell their best players who still are under contract for the next 2 and a half years?

The main reason I believe he will is because Cortese said he would. Cortese so far has done nothing in the last 18 months at Saints which makes me doubt his word. However, if Chamberlain is sold I will find it hard to trust Cortese in the future. For the first time in Saints 125 year history it seems we have people in charge with both the ambition and the resources to back those ambitions.

I'll say it again..for Cortese to say he won't be sold, it clearly shows that he knows there are no clauses in his contract which mean he can be sold. In a mere 18 months time Chamberlain could be a Premier League player on a very large wage...with Saints.

For Cortese to say he won't be sold, it clearly shows that he knows there are no clauses in his contract which mean he can be sold.

So the fact he is under contract until June 2013 and Cortese said he won't be sold isn't a position of strength?

We have plenty of power. He is contracted with Saints until June 2013. Without Saints agreement he isn't going anywhere. Cortese said he isn't going anywhere. There is a very good chance Saints will be promoted this season, and Chamberlain could feasibly be a Premier League player with Saints at the age of 19.

Well with Cortese saying he isn't for sale, I can't see Wenger doing that.

That guy doesn't have a clue. He thinks the Daily Mail story supports his, yet the Daily Mail story has fundamental errors in it concerning where CHamberlain was on Friday.

Explain what about them? Wenger - "We need an agreement with Southampton, we need an agreement with the player, and we are not the only ones on the case. But we try as hard as we can as I like him as a player." He just says he will try as hard as he can to get the player. He doesn't say he is anywhere near a deal. If Cortese says "No" like he said he would in the BBC interview, then there is nothing Wenger can do until June 2013.

Cortese said Lallana and Chamberlain won't be sold, he would have been aware bids would come in when he made that statement, yet still was confident enough to say it. Chamberlain won't be sold and Lallana signed a 4 and half year deal rather than being sold. The press have shown they don't have a clue by saying things like Chamberlain was at Arsenal on Friday, when he was on a coach to Tranmere.

Saints have already made two (arguably three) signings this January window. Adkins has stated that further bids have been made and that deals may happen towards the end of the window. Why do you think Saints won't do any more deals? They have already stated bids have been made and we have over a week left for the deals to be closed.

Did you not notice the Daily Mail said he was at the Arsenal training ground on Friday. Despite the fact that he was on a coach to Merseyside with the rest of the squad from Southampton at Friday lunchtime, having trained with Saints at Staplewood on Friday morning. The papers don't have a clue, they make things up to increase circulation! Most journalists are unaware of the financial situation at Saints. Cortese said in December 2010 that Chamberlain and Lallana won't be sold despite what the papers claim. Lallana ended up signing a 4 and half year deal and 23 days into the transfer window Chamberlain is still here. So far, so good for Cortese... Cortese 1 - Fleet Street 0

All the big clubs have been fully aware of him for the last 10 years. He has been playing against their various academy sides for many years having been with Saints since the age of 7! He is under contract until 2013 and Saints are under no obligation to sell. Cortese has already stated he won't be sold. He may well be a Premier League player with Saints at the age of 19. If Saints don't go up this season, then he will go, but if Saints are a Championship club next season and look like having a good chance of going up again I see little reason why he won't stay.

If he wanted to move he shouldn't have signed a 3 year contract in August 2010 with Saints.

"This Tuesday" is the 25th January (when the Charlton game would have been) "Next Tuesday is 1st February vs Exeter 1st February not that far away.

Next Tuesday is hardly that long to wait is it?

Saints Under 18's are top of their league this season. A league which contains academies like Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham.

This is why we should ignore any newspaper reports... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1349674/Boy-wonder-Alex-Chamberlain-sign-Arsenal-Arsene-Wenger-wins-10m-chase-teenager.html Article says Chamberlain was at the Arsenal training ground on Friday. Yet the idiot reporter fails to realise Chamberlain was on a coach to Merseyside on Friday to get ready for the Tranmere game.

Sorry everyone, I must remember this thread is for mockery only. My other 460 posts in this thread have kept to this philosophy, this one just slipped through.

That is what I've seen some Pompey fans say. So the lying has spread from the club to the fans now to cover up Pompey's incompetence!

If anything what he actually said reinforces it even more. He was due to travel on Thursday and then decided his head wasn't right. That is unprofessional, he is under contract at Saints for the next 2 years. Adkins said it will be dealt with in house (maybe that means a fine), and I doubt he will be at Saints in February.

They should hire you as a sports psychologist.

It was city wide so not Pompey's fault.

He also said... - Pucheon's mental state reason for his omission. - Lallana and Hammond 2 or 3 weeks away from a return.