Midfield_General

This, exactly. Without a proper keeper, we're relegated, it's as simple as that. This guy looks decent, but carries much higher than average risk with respect to a history of injuries. Why even take that risk? I get the point above that we're not able to compete for the Ramsdales of the world, but one notch down from him would do just fine. We've spent £85m so far this window, and we're playing the loan market. It's not like we literally don't have a pot to piss in. If this guy's calf goes ping again in his second game in, then McCarthy is back in goal and we are utterly, utterly fucked. The stakes (staying in the PL) are about as high as they can be, and despite that, instead of playing the percentages and getting in a solid option like a fit Johnstone or whoever, we're still choosing to take a very big risk where in my opinion we don't have to. And surprisingly I don't entirely trust the judgement of our medical team/ medical procedure after the absolute clusterfuck that is Ross Stewart, and now seeing Lallana signed and playing the grand total of zero minutes so far because he's fucking injured, when he's also had a history of injuries. I really, really hope this works out, because it doesn't matter how good someone looks on paper and how well they're going to fit into our system if they never play. I just can't believe we're risking it.

If it's Biljow, we just need to pray that his multiple injury problems are in the past. We're still taking a big risk there IMO. Personally I can't believe that there isn't a keeper out there who is within our price range, is decent enough with hands and feet and doesn't have a history of injuries. But Saints do so love to be cleverer than everyone else and take a risk with injury-prone players, so time will tell.

He was unspectacular but he got 63 caps for the Netherlands, I think ‘crap’ is a bit harsh

Victor Hugo? Another central midfielder arriving might make Les Miserable Edit: damn beaten to it

He was exactly that. Everything that you thought he should save, he did. Everything that looked like it was probably going to be a goal, was. The definition of ‘steady’. Just a perfectly solid 7/10 every week.

Originally a six year deal on £300k a week. Which they then extended. You can't blame him for staying put when they decided they'd changed their minds. Doesn't work like that lads!

Same reason why Ivan Toney wants to go and trot round in front of 1,000 people in a pub league in Saudi for the next four years. He'll earn £100m doing it and retire at 35 able to set himself and his family up for generations to come, if he doesn't piss it all away on Betfair.

Yep, contracted until 2027. That contract alone will earn him over £90m.

Well they can, if they go to a club that is going to pay them the most because they want them to play for them.

Hopefully Archer is the Mara replacement (i.e. 4th choice) and there's a big finish to the transfer window coming as we unveil a new CF on deadline day...

Quite right, we should all follow your lead and show the utmost respect to all our players at all times. Not like this guy:

Love that the second highlight on that video, literally the second best thing he did that season, is slicing it high and wide and out for what looks like a throw-in 🤣

Is this how Monaco felt when we signed Carillo?

Dan Nlundulu. Michael Obafemi. Sam Gallagher. Steve Basham. Paul Moody. Frankie Bennett. Sekou Mara.

Over £10m for Mara - who saw that coming? Not cut out for English football, good to draw a line under it and get a very decent fee.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that's how footballers (or their agents) think

I'll say it again - JWP is on £100k a week at West Ham. Does anyone think we're going to pay that, or think that he'd take a pay cut to come back when he's in the prime of his career at 29? It's not happening, in the same way that Ramsdale's not happening. We're not in the market to pay anyone those sort of wages, regardless of whether there's transfer fee, loan deal or anything else.

On £100k per week at West Ham. Not sure he'd want to take a wage cut just yet (he's 29), even if we wanted him back.

Breaking news: Sports Republic announce the signing of Strasbourg's recruitment and negotiation teams. "With their eye for a player and a red hot deal they'll fit right in", says Ankersen.

True. Especially if the current natural understudy, Charles, is off on loan as it sounds like he might be. Could make sense.

Oh I know, I was just saying that it's a bit harsh to judge that player (Keita) on stats like assists and killer passes when he's a defensive mid who's primary job is to put his foot in and break up attacks. Anyway like you say I suspect that any rumours still going around of Saints being one of the clubs interested in Keita is based on previous interest, and probably isn't actually relevant anymore now we've signed Les.

I’ve got a sinking feeling that Fernandes is being brought in to play in that role higher up the pitch. He looks decent but not the attacking/ all-round creative threat we need. I think the idea is that he threads through-balls for our now more mobile front 2 or 3 to run onto. I don’t think we’re getting the MOR style more tradition creative AM, although I very much hope I’m wrong and we pull a quality loan of that type out of the bag like Luton did with Barkley last year.

He’s a defensive midfielder in the Kalvin Phillips mould. Harsh to judge him on attacking stats.

Mike McGrath from the Telegraph saying we are interested in Ollie Arblaster from Sheff Utd (along with Brentford and Ipswich): https://x.com/mcgrathmike/status/1825466216401580165?s=46&t=yx-nO3PhK9WdSZqAccORKA

Virgin? Doubt it