SNSUN

Miovski gone to Girona so we can stop that HCDAJFU staple from the last year or so.

You can't spell reassess without ARSE. Which is what it will be if the deal falls through.

That sounds like a rant that got delayed for a year! I actually think most of our recruitment has been quite good this summer - sure we haven't done enough... yet, but what we have done appears to be good. Bringing in Downes who was so key to us last year was vital, Sugawara comes with a good reputation as does Edwards, BBD will give us something and Lallana and Taylor offer us experience. Only time will tell but I don't think the business has been bad this summer - we just need to finish it off with the last 3 or so pieces of the jigsaw to build a team that can survive.

The lis said about him, the better. 😀

I do suspect our intention is still to sell him (and bring in a replacement/loan) but I think we've given him a number in case a move falls through and he stays. Same with Charly although he's previously said he's happy to stay. I'd be happy enough if we kept both to be fair.

Incidentally I'm pleased to see SAA and Dibling given shirt numbers - really hope this means they'll be an option this season and not loaned out. There's still time yet so I'm not getting my hopes up though.

He's 32 from what I saw...? https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/mens-squad-numbers-updated-for-2024-25

We haven't sold a striker for big money and technically we have 5 on the books - Onuachu, Stewart, Mara, BBD and AA. Until we can ship a couple out I'd be surprised if we brought another in.

This - the big clubs will just pick off anyone good from your squad - Mac Allister, Caicedo, Cucurella etc in Brighton's case - and eventually your run of buying successful replacements comes to an end. Nobody can get every single transfer right, it's just not possible. Look at Palace, a half decent season and they've lost Olise and are possibly going to lose Guehi and Eze. They need to get their replacements right or they could be in trouble.

His goal return isn't great but just read the Leeds forum MOT - they are almost universally gutted about this.

I've been reading and carefully analysing the Hoffenheim forums for their take on the ABK transfer and I can safely say that I don't know what they're saying because I can't read German. HTH.

Tricky but not impossible. This cup is not a priority this season so going out in the second round wouldn't be a disaster - but I would like to see the youngsters and some of the bit parters given game time - namely Woods, Edwards, Charles, Dibling and SAA (if all still here) - then put a bit of experience around them.

I see Onuachu has been given a squad number. If we can't sell him (for the right price) and we're struggling to bring a striker in I'd be OK if we integrated him this season back into the side. He's a proper striker, he's fit, he can score goals as he showed last year. I'm not sure how he fits into our system but I still feel he'd be an asset. I'd like to know what he thinks about it though! Alex was out of contract in the summer and on high wages. If we hadn't gone up we'd have released him. Ironically then it's very possible we would probably have signed a better keeper than the one we're about to start the season with - Alex. 😀 As for Rutter - Leeds fans really rate him despite his lack of goals and think he's going on to big things, and he's only 22. I'm still not quite sure how him and Whittaker got into the team of the season over AA though but still. It definitely looks like Leeds are getting pulled apart. Gnonto next. I think they'll go for Jack Clarke to appease their fan base. £40 million is a lot but I think that may be good business for Brighton.

If we could spend £150 million say with no PSR, could SR even afford it? Anyway we utilised the loan window well last season so hopefully we can do the same this season. He says hopefully.

If he has to retire do we even get an insurance payout? 😀 Hopefully this still goes through. Might just be Hoffenheim trying to save themselves a few quid.

Instruction Manual - Manuel Benson.

Yeah BBD and Taylor (unless KWP stays) - Sugawara comes with good reviews and has had a good pre-season so there's hope there. It does look like we're rebuilding with one eye on the future rather than the present. I'm glad we managed to get Downes though - while it's the League below we could see how important he was to the way we played. THB we knew we were getting if we went up but that's a key signing too but I appreciate both were here last season. We do still need 3/4 first teamers though if we want to avoid relegation this season.

I'm talking about the squad - the first team does need more quality and remember: With, say, 4 more first team signings (GK, DM, AM and Striker are what we need) that makes the squad stronger too as current first teamers drop down the pecking order (if we get them). Add in SAA and Dibling which I really hope we keep (certainly Dibling) and I really don't think we're in bad shape squad wise. The first team quality is my issue, not the squad - but anyway we'll see in the next two and a half weeks. We probably have the weakest first team on paper (bar perhaps Ipswich) but I do think we plan to be loyal to players that got us up. I think Smallbone plays the majority of League games, whether that's a good thing or not.

According to Wiki, including youngsters we've signed we've actually made 15 signings: 1 July 2024 DF Taylor Harwood-Bellis Manchester City Undisclosed [1][2] 1 July 2024 MF Adam Lallana Brighton & Hove Albion Free transfer [3] 1 July 2024 DF Charlie Taylor Burnley Free transfer [4] 3 July 2024 DF Ronnie Edwards Peterborough United Undisclosed [5] 5 July 2024 DF Nathan Wood Swansea City Undisclosed [6] 14 July 2024 DF Yukinari Sugawara AZ Alkmaar Undisclosed [7] 16 July 2024 MF Flynn Downes West Ham United Undisclosed [8] 20 July 2024 GK Khiani Shombe Lewisham Borough Free transfer [9] 21 July 2024 MF Brook Myers Charlton Athletic Free transfer [10] 30 July 2024 FW Ben Brereton Díaz Villarreal Undisclosed [11] 30 July 2024 MF Kuryu Matsuki FC Tokyo Undisclosed [12] 5 August 2025 MF Romeo Akachukwu Waterford Undisclosed [13] 1 January 2025 FW Juan São Paulo Free transfer [14] 1 January 2025 DF Welington São Paulo Free transfer [14] 12 March 2025 FW Rento Takaoka Nissho Gakuen High School Undisclosed [15]

Post injury he needs a good season on loan - if we do go back down I can see him being part of the squad at least. He seems to have something about him. I'm hoping we can sort JB's contract out too soon, he's one we need to be keeping next season whatever happens - in the Champ he's one of the better CBs and if we do stay in the Prem and upgrade, he's still a good squad option. (And KWP's but I'm not holding my breath)

I don't think the squad is that bad, the first team just lacks some quality here and there. And put it this way, if we get spanked to Newcastle, it might make the owners act a bit quicker in bringing players in.

Someone easy we can put a back up team out of, say, Lumley, Bree, Edwards, Wood, Stephens, Taylor, Charles, Dibling, Charly, SAA, AA, Edozie (pending ins/outs, something like that) and still have a good chance of going through. Someone like Barrow or Leyton Orient.

https://tribuna.com/en/news/liverpoolfc-2024-08-13-liverpool-to-consider-permanent-bids-for-ben-doak-sky-sports/ ...and I'd definitely take JWP back for the right price. Bring him home.

This - sometimes it's not about signing one player but signing two that can complement each other. That's why I'm hoping if we bring in a striker and an AM that they click. Tadic and Pelle - hoovering up the best talent from Holland - it was a good strategy although we also got Clasie and Martina so...

Probably THB on the back of an excellent season at promoted Burnley, especially as we knew he'd be ours if we went up. This summer I'm mildly excited by the signing of Ronnie Edwards to see how he copes on the Prem stage. He comes with a decent reputation. Weirdly the last transfer I can remember being excited about before those was Nathan Redmond. He'd been good for Norwich and I remember giving the wife some hell about it. Finally Rickie Lambert. League One, Million spent, best striker at that level. After a shitty couple of years before that, after the Liebherr takeover it finally felt like we were on to a good thing.