SNSUN

Exactly. Manolo is better than the lot of them. I'd hazard a guess that if Bournemouth had signed Austin, the media would be raving about them signing a player that could guarantee them goals. Some players just have that tagline due to past exploits. I've always liked Defoe as a striker and feel he should have been given a better shot with England, but he's ageing now. I'd take our striking options any day. A great complement of Class, Natural finishing, Pace and Height. And that's before we sign anyone else. (Such as the rumoured Iheanacho, which would be a massive statement of intent, although I still feel that'd be unlikely.)

A player I feel a bit sorry for. When he signed I was pleased, signing one of the best (if not the best) talent in the Championship. (I like that model.) He was excellent before his injury, on the cusp of going got to the World Cup, wanted by Spurs, then the agony of that injury arrives. Since then he's lost his pace, but you can see the intelligence is still there, the instinctive goal against Bournemouth a case in point. But we can't go into yet another season saying "I hope he comes good this season" when potentially £15 million is on the table and he wants out. I'd like to see him come good again but I fear he's on the downward spiral. £12 million in the bank for our 4th choice striker and the risk is now with WBA. I'll take that.

According to a Hammers-supporting colleague, West Ham want 2 strikers with Prem experience, and one of them is Shane Long. Naturally it's a "Hammers-linked-with-striker" story, so i ignore it. I still think Long is an asset for us, as long as he's not the main striker.

You do realise we signed a sought-after Italian International striker in January aren't you, one who banged in 6 goals in just 8 appearances? An ageing Defoe is the last person we needed with Austin, Long and Gallagher backing up Manolo. I'll give Defoe credit though, players with pace normally would have faded by now. He's done well to keep it up as long as he has. A 3 year contract on what I can only imagine is high wages is risky though, he'll be nearly 38 when that contract is up.

Not a chance. Played about 40 times in 4 years and basically has one working leg. Was decent in his younger years but injury prone as hell.

Ah, the old patented Saintsweb "write them off before they've joined" thread. Good stuff. He's obviously not going to be first choice, and in today's market that amount of money is peanuts in the Premier League, so even if he's not a hit, he's a fairly risk free investment. He's got the raw talents, tall, aggressive enough to get sent off the other day (!), and someone saw fit to pick him for Poland's U-21s so he can't be all bad. He'll likely be fourth choice behind VVD/new CB, Maya and Jack or even fifth choice if Gardos miraculously has a future so it's good for squad strength. As long as we either keep VVD or replace him well, I can't see much wrong with this deal. And it gets the summer's transfer business started!

A year ago today we signed Redmond but had no manager. This year no signings, but we have a manager already in place. I reckon it won't be long before we start seeing player movement. Fingers crossed!

Welcome Mr Pellegrino. Blood Orange is my favourite this far if anyone is taking notes. In a perfect world, we'd keep everyone and sign a centre back, defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder. We need more than that with the expected departures, so good luck to the new manager.

£60million with the other £10million subject to targets would be a decent deal IMO. I can't see anyone paying £70 million but we must remember we've got an unhappy player to worry about... I think £60 million would be a great bit of business for VVD. Even better that it hasn't come from the Scousers.

JWP is England's penalty taker. I bet he's a bit gutted to have gone off now!

11pm people #itshappening #stabinthedark

He'd be a calculated risk that would be worth taking from what I've read. He seems very thorough in all he does, is a name in the game, knows the Premier League and would have the support of at least 2 of the top 6 in City and Arsenal. My concern is a lack of experience. It's probably moot though as I personally think we'll go for Pellegrino, based on noises coming from the media. (Not that we tend to make much noise in the media I guess...)

God no. From what I've read he has a huge ego, is tactically inept and lacks man management skills. Some top players just don't translate to management. An article about Klinsmann. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/jun/02/jurgen-klinsmann-usa-coach-copa-america Viera sounds like an interesting possibility but the lack of management experience worries me, although you can't deny he knows the English leagues.

Just scored for Portugal!

Aside from the occasions when Rodgers should have kept his mouth shut about us in the past, I personally think he'd be a decent fit. However I think he'd have a job winning our fans over and appears to comfortable at Celtic. Tuchel is the obvious choice. I'd love to see him come and have the same influence as Klopp has had at Liverpool. It'd be great to get a big name, thus keeping the players happy and attracting bigger name transfers, but I have a worrying feeling it'll be another underwhelming managerial signing. Hope I'm wrong. As for Claude, I feel a bit sorry for him seeing as he had us finishing 8th and getting us to a cup final in what is essentially a results driven business, the new manager will have to go some to get us the same, and he was without our top striker and top centre back for half a season, but his style of football is what's lost him his job. I hope he gets a job soon. This must look like a strange sacking to fans of other clubs, but it's really not. Huge summer ahead.

Fulham reject £20 million from Newcastle for Tom Cairney. I know fees have gone up and Cairney is pretty decent but for a Championship club to reject £20 million for a player (more than our transfer record) is insane! I guess this puts into perspective the amounts of money we need to spending this summer if we have aspirations to stay in the top half of the table...

That end to the season is HARSH! Very tough, and we have a fairly comfortable start to the season. If ever we need to get our business done early in the summer, it's this summer, and we still have a manager whose future is vastly uncertain and question marks over who will start the season in our defence. Get it sorted people.

Had he never been injured, it's likely he'd be at a bigger club (like Spurs) and a regular for England now, but unfortunately he'll never be the same player he was. We have Gabbiadini as the main striker, and Austin and Long as competition. Whether we rely on Gallagher or bring another striker in as competition remains to be seen, but JRod us the obvious one that's surplus to requirements. WBA though, jeez. He'd be better off going back to Burnley.

Wouldn't be surprised if they go back in for Isgrove too, after his loan spell there. They could build up quite a collection of ex-Saints academy players. McCarthy is a surprise as he was lauded last season but we've already got Cedric and Pied, and Valery coming through so I guess he's surplus to requirements.

First game- Newcastle (home) Boxing Day - Burnley (away) 28th December - Brighton (home) Easter Weekend- Man City (away) Last Game - Man Utd (home) FA Cup 3rd round - Tottenham (home) League Cup 2nd round - Norwich (away) Bonus game - 2nd fixture - Liverpool (away)

I'm not Dusan's biggest fan, he does come across as petulant, but it's a bit harsh to wish one of our players away (let alone to that lot up north), who has done little wrong since he's been here. Granted he didn't have the best of season's last season, but he was an assist provider for a team that didn't have a natural goalscorer for much of the season. If he is sold, fair enough and I'm sure we'll bring someone else in, I do feel he's replaceable - but in a team with Gabbiadini up front he could be excellent, like he was with Pelle.

This is funny stuff and RAWK is a good read at present, but it's also a huge statement towards clubs that feel they can bully smaller teams. We've dug our feet in, slapped a £70 million tag on his head, effectively grown a pair of testicles from previous summers (as we're in a better position to do with players on longer contracts) and Liverpool have effectively used underhand tactics to get what they want. Makes you wonder why they've made a statement though, effectively admitting guilt. Surely it'd be wiser just to keep quiet? Anyway I still think VVD will go, perhaps even to 'Pool (especially if that's actually his preferred destination), but surely we'll get most of the money we're looking for now. Other clubs that like to be vocal in the media (West Ham looking at you) will be a bit worried tonight...

Premier League should deduct 'Pool 31 points. Then 8th really has got us into Europe! If Puel really has gone, I'd like to see us hold off selling VVD until the new manager had been appointed, whoever it is. Selling key players hardly makes us look good to potential managerial appointments.

Meh, VVD is vastly overrated, error prone, and injury prone. Good Riddance. Besides which we'll only go and sign someone for £15 million that'll be worth £100+million in a season or two's time. These reports smack of "Empty vessels making the most noise" to me. Whatever VVD is claimed to have said, his contract is with us, it's long term and unless Liverpool reach close to our £70 million asking price they're getting the big stiffy. Besides, whatever happens happens. We can be annoyed by it or be happy with it, but there's little any of us can do about it. Just hope the incomings are decent. Doesn't he look happy in a City shirt though!

I've accepted he'll probably leave but for £40 million to Liverpool would have been gutting. The new figures of £60-70 million to City would be a lot easier to deal with. At least the club has tried to show some balls this summer due to the players being on long contracts. Part ex players is an interesting idea, there are some decent players at the big clubs not getting game time. (Like when we got Romeu from Chelsea.)