Over land and sea

Some - possibly many - of the decisions about out of contract players would have been taken during the season before Hughes even arrived. If you look back to the link about Ollie Cook going out on loan (previous page of this thread) it states he had been told then that he was not being retained. I’m quite sure Gardos would have been told the same when he was loaned and we know that Bakary and Wood have had trials at other clubs. So the delay is more one of announcing changes than taking the decisions. There was a deadline of last Saturday to submit the list but it is up to the club when it announces them - or even if it announces them. Last year we announced the pros being released but never said anything about the scholars - I suspect as a result of sensitivity about headlines of the number of players leaving the club. Given we have around 20 players out of contract and potentially leaving the club it would not surprise me if when we do announce it we limit it to pros only. The PL will publish a full list in June which last year was the first and only confirmation about the scholars if I recall correctly. I doubt the club will make an announcement before Hughes is appointed because it will look like he has more of a say if it comes after (even though very few of those out of contract players are first team squad members). Of course I could be proven wrong very quickly! Ben Cull confirmed his departure on Twitter a few days ago. I’ve therefore removed him, Olomola, Cook and Wood from the OP.

I updated the OP earlier this morning to reflect Hansen’s contract. I’ll do a bigger update when the released and retained lists are announced. The Premier League deadline for submitting these lists is the third Saturday in May so there should be an announcement on or before this Saturday.

While relegation is not confirmed, it is now much more likely than not. On past performance we will prioritise cutting costs over what we need next season (though actually I think this overlaps in many cases). I'd expect us to release most if not all of the 20 players who will be out of contract, namely: Jack Rose Stuart Taylor Kingsley Latham Jérémy Pied Richard Bakary Harrison Davis Alfie Jones Florin Gardoș Aaron O'Driscoll Oliver Gardner Ollie Cook Will Wood Ben Cull Jake Flannigan Thomas O'Connor Javen Siu Armani Little Tyreke Johnson Olufela Olomola Dan N'Lundulu Jonathan Afolabi Few of these have challenged the first team and I think we'd have offered terms by now if we wanted to keep them. I'd expect Alfie Jones to be offered a deal but he will get offered something better elsewhere. I think Pied could do a job in the Championship but I expect us to seek a cheaper option. We may keep one of the keepers as back up. I'd expect us to try to cash in on first team players that: - are too expensive to keep or - are too good for the Championship/think they are too good for the Championship namely: Fraser Forster Cédric Soares Wesley Hoedt Matt Targett Ryan Bertrand Oriol Romeu Mario Lemina James Ward-Prowse Dušan Tadić Sofiane Boufal Guido Carrillo Manolo Gabbiadini (There may also be some interest in the likes of McQueen, Long and Sims which I'm sure we'd concede if the money was right.) Of course, we will find it difficult to shift some of these, particularly as we will try to hold out for unrealistic prices (which in some cases would leave us with overpaid and unmotivated players). Ideally we would try to keep the likes of Romeu, JWP and Targett but I think that is unlikely. If we did manage to sell the players above that would leave a first team squad of Alex McCarthy Harry Lewis Yan Valery Jan Bednarek Jack Stephens Maya Yoshida Sam McQueen Jake Vokins Jordy Classie Pierre Højbjerg Steven Davis Harrison Reed Callum Slattery Josh Sims Jake Hesketh Nathan Redmond Shane Long Charlie Austin Sam Gallagher Ryan Seager Michael Obafemi Marcus Barnes Backed up with Development Squad (excluding scholars) Adam Parkes Alex Cull Kieran Freeman Christoph Klarer Jamie Bradley-Green Ben Rowthorn Harry Hamblin Will Smallbone Nathan Tella Harlem Hale Siph Mdlalose If we were to reinvest the money we do get (which will, of course, be nowhere near what we paid in most cases) on proven Championship quality players (particularly to strengthen the defence) and add a manager who knows what is needed, we ought to be able to compete at that level rather than be in for another relegation scrap. We would need to make a number of high quality signings (which we have not made for a long time) in order to make the team a promotion seeking one.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/2996456 I don’t know yet but keep an eye on transfermarket.co.uk - which says that the striker a couple of weeks ago was Benni Smales-Braithwaite of Man City

If we released or sold no one we would have 34 players over 21 - the 24 we named this time, the four out on loan (Clasie, Targett, Reed, Gallagher) plus Bednarek, Flannigan, Wood, Hesketh, Barnes and Seager from the current under 21 list who will qualify as over 21 by then. In reality, of course, some of the 34 will have departed by the start of 2018-19. The following will be out of contract by then: Rose Taylor Pied Wood Gardos Flannigan But even if all these leave we have 28 players that are over 21. And that’s before we buy anyone. So sales to get the numbers down do look inevitable.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/612828 Confirmation of the updated squads. No surprise omissions in our 25 man squad - which, as expected, is a 24 man squad. Targett, Clasie, Gallagher and Reed are omitted because they are on loan. The U21 squad lists all the U21s registered with the club, including those out on loan (Cook, Barnes, Seager and Lewis), apart from scholar Bailey Owen. No idea why he is omitted. It also lists Simon Kozak an U18 defender who isn't shown on the OS U18 profiles for some reason. Olomola is also missing from the OS profiles but is in the Premier League U21 list. Southampton 25 Squad players Alves Soares, Cedric Ricardo Austin, Charlie* Bertrand, Ryan* Boufal, Sofiane Carrillo, Guido Marcelo Davis, Steven* Forster, Fraser Gerard* Gabbiadini, Manolo Gardos, Florin Hoedt, Wesley Hojbjerg, Pierre Emile Kordt Lemina, Mario Rene Junior Long, Shane Patrick* McCarthy, Alex Simon* McQueen, Samuel James* Pied, Jeremy Redmond, Nathan Daniel Jerome* Rose, Jack Joseph* Stephens, Jack* Tadic, Dusan Taylor, Stuart James* Vidal, Oriol Romeu Ward-Prowse, James Michael Edward* Yoshida, Maya *= Home Grown U21 players (Contract and Scholars) Afolabi, Jonathan Bakary, Mohamed Richard Barnes, Marcus Thomas Bartlett, Daniel Grahame Bednarek, Jan Bradley Green, Jamie Brennan, Sean Anthony Cook, Oliver David Paul Cull, Alexander Cull, Benjamin Simon Davis, Harrison Ferry, William Flannigan, Jake Fleary, Taymar Freeman, Kieran Gardner, Oliver Hale, Harlem Hamblin, Harry Mark Hansen, Kornelius Normann Hesketh, Jake Alexander Johnson, Tyreke Martin Jones, Alfie Klarer, Christoph Kozak, Simon Latham, Kingsley Finn Ledwidge, Kameron Malcolm Lewis, Harry Charles John Little, Armani Mdlalose, Siphesihle Thembinkosi Nlundulu, Dan Norton, Christian Anthony O'Connor, Thomas James O'Driscoll, Aaron Obafemi, Michael Oluwadurotimi Olomola, Olufela Olufunwa, Oludare Samuel Araba Parkes, Adam Darren Ramsay, Kayne Robise, Enzo Rowthorn, Ben John Seager, Ryan Paul Sims, Joshua Samuel Siu, Javen Michael Slattery, Callum Smallbone, William Anthony Patrick Tella, Nathan Valery, Yan Vokins, Jake Wood, William Nicholas

So no one will need to be omitted. In fact we will either have a vacant place or name one of the 4 loanees in the 25 (probably the former). I'd expect the squad to be published on the PL website today but no decisions to make so not very interesting.

Original post updated with transfer window changes (e.g. Carrillo and noting loans for Targett, Barnes, Cook and the return of Olomola). The list of contracts ending in 2018 remains pretty extensive. It's beginning to look as if we will have a lengthy released list in May.

For 25 man squad purposes Carrillo’s arrival has been cancelled out by Targett’s departure on loan for the rest of the season. We currently have 28 players who qualify as over 21 but 4 are out on loan for the rest of the season. So we can bring one more in without needing to omit anyone who not on loan from our 25 man squad Forster McCarthy Rose Taylor Cédric Pied Bertrand McQueen Yoshida Stephens Hoedt Gardos Romeu Lemina Højbjerg Davis Ward-Prowse Boufal Tadic Redmond Long Carrillo Austin Gabbiadini Targett (loan) Clasie (loan) Gallagher (loan) Reed (loan)

Yes this looks right except that JWP is also club grown and I thought that Jack Stephens was club grown rather than home grown - though that’s academic as that distinction applies only for Europe and I have more chance of getting pregnant than we have of qualifying for Europe next season (I suppose theoretically we could win the FA Cup but that would require us to win matches on a scale we have not done for a very long time). Goalkeeper Jack Rose is another home grown player who we included in our 25 man squad in September but may miss out in January if we sign enough players that we have to omit some we don’t need. As for next season the additional u21s not mentioned already that will no longer qualify as u21s are Marcus Barnes, Ryan Seager, Jake Flannigan and Will Wood. That said Flannigan is out of contract this weekend and Wood is on trial at a club in south east Hampshire.

Opening post updated with Will Ferry’s first pro contract - until 2020).

4 additional squad numbers allocated for tonight's Checkatrade Trophy (68, 69, 70 and 71) bringing a new record high number of 71 - see previous post for revised list

Now confirmed https://www.premierleague.com/news/465277 Southampton 25 Squad players (*=Home grown) Alves Soares, Cedric Ricardo Austin, Charlie* Bertrand, Ryan* Boufal, Sofiane Davis, Steven* Forster, Fraser Gerard* Gabbiadini, Manolo Gardos, Florin Hoedt, Wesley Hojbjerg, Pierre Emile Kordt Lemina, Mario Rene Junior Long, Shane Patrick* McCarthy, Alex Simon* McQueen, Samuel James* Pied, Jeremy Redmond, Nathan Daniel Jerome* Rose, Jack Joseph* Stephens, Jack* Tadic, Dusan Targett, Matthew Robert* Taylor, Stuart James* Van Dijk, Virgil Vidal, Oriol Romeu Ward-Prowse, James Michael Edward* Yoshida, Maya Under-21 players (Contract and Scholars) Afolabi, Jonathan Bakary, Mohamed Richard Barnes, Marcus Thomas Bartlett, Daniel Grahame Bednarek, Jan Bradley Green, Jamie Cook, Oliver David Paul Cull, Alexander Cull, Benjamin Simon Davis, Harrison Ferry, William Flannigan, Jake Fleary, Taymar Freeman, Kieran Gardner, Oliver Hale, Harlem Hamblin, Harry Mark Hesketh, Jake Alexander Johnson, Tyreke Martin Jones, Alfie Klarer, Christoph Latham, Kingsley Finn Lewis, Harry Charles John Little, Armani Mdlalose, Siphesihle Thembinkosi Nlundulu, Dan Norton, Christian Anthony O'Connor, Thomas James O'Driscoll, Aaron Obafemi, Michael Oluwadurotimi Olomola, Olufela Olufunwa, Oludare Samuel Araba Parkes, Adam Darren Ramsay, Kayne Rowthorn, Ben John Seager, Ryan Paul Sims, Joshua Samuel Siu, Javen Michael Slattery, Callum Smallbone, William Anthony Patrick Tella, Nathan Valery, Yan Vokins, Jake Wood, William Nicholas The U21 list includes all the U21s out on loan (Lewis, Olomola, Seager) but the main list doesn't include loan players (Reed, Clasie, Gallagher) - simply because there is a number restriction on the main list but not for the U21s. The U21 list omits 5 of the scholars: Enzo Robise, Kornelius Hansen, Kameron Ledwidge, Sean Brennan and Bailey Owen. This seems odd so there may be some qualifying condition I'm unaware of e.g. needs to have been registered with club by a certain date; or perhaps a rule relating to nationality (none of those omitted is English).

Fraser Forster (Home Grown (HG)) Cédric Soares Maya Yoshida Jack Stephens (HG) Wesley Horst Shane Long (HG) Steven Davis (HG) Charlie Austin (HG) Dušan Tadic Alex McCarthy (HG) Oriol Romeu James Ward-Prowse (HG) Virgil van Dijk Mario Lemina Sofiane Boufal Monolo Gabbiadini Ryan Bertrand (HG) Nathan Redmond (HG) Pierre Højbjerg Florin Gardos Stuart Taylor (HG) Jérémy Pied Matt Targett (HG) Sam McQueen (HG) Jack Rose (HG) No need to include: Jordy Clasie season loan Sam Gallagher (HG) season loan Harry Reed (HG) season loan So 25 players, 13 of which are home grown

With Gazzaniga gone, Reed and Gallagher out on season loans and Hoedt and Rose in (both are over 21), we currently have 26 players who qualify as over 21 this season.

https://www.premierleague.com/news/448209?sf105477838=1 Fuller set of squad numbers released including all most of the U23s and some of the U18s. Where the additions had a squad number last year the numbers are generally the same (Barnes and Little aside) 1 2 Alves Soares (Cedric), Cedric Ricardo 3 Yoshida, Maya 4 Clasie, Jordy (on season loan to Club Brugge) 5 Stephens, Jack 6 Hoedt, Wesley 7 Long, Shane Patrick 8 Davis (Davis S), Steven 9 Carrillo, Guido 10 Austin, Charlie 11 Tadic, Dusan 12 13 McCarthy, Alex Simon 14 Vidal (Romeu), Oriol Romeu 15 16 Ward-Prowse, James Michael Edward 17 Vacant - formerly Van Dijk (Virgil), Virgil - signed for Liverpool, January 2018 18 Lemina, Mario Rene Junior 19 Boufal, Sofiane 20 Gabbiadini, Manolo 21 Bertrand, Ryan 22 Redmond, Nathan Daniel Jerome 23 Hojbjerg, Pierre Emile Kordt 24 25 Gardos, Florin 26 Pied, Jeremy 27 Gallagher, Samuel James (on season loan to Birmingham City) 28 Taylor, Stuart James 29 30 Wood, William Nicholas 31 32 Jones, Alfie 33 Targett, Matthew Robert (on loan to Fulham for second half of 2017-18 season) 34 Flannigan, Jake 35 Bednarek, Jan 36 37 38 McQueen, Samuel James 39 Sims, Joshua Samuel 40 41 42 Hesketh, Jake Alexander 43 Valery, Yan 44 Forster, Fraser Gerard 45 46 47 Bakary, Mohamed Richard 48 Cook, Oliver David Paul (on loan to AFC Barrow for second half of 2017-18 season) 49 O'Connor, Thomas James 50 Rowthorn, Ben John 51 Johnson, Tyreke Martin 52 Nlundulu, Dan 53 54 Klarer, Christoph 55 Slattery, Callum 56 Parkes, Adam Darren 57 Vokins, Jake 58 O'Driscoll, Aaron 59 Afolabi, Jonathan 60 Smallbone, William Anthony Patrick 61 Obafemi, Michael Oluwadurotimi 62 Rose, Jack Joseph 63 Davis, Harrison 64 Tella, Nathan 65 Barnes, Marcus Thomas (on loan to Yeovil Town for second half of 2017-18 season) 66 Little, Armani 67 Latham, Kingsley Finn 68 Hale, Harlem 69 Cull, Alexander 70 Hansen, Kornelius 71 Hamblin, Harry Mark 57 players Players with no squad number: Mdlalose, Siphesihle Thembinkosi Olomola, Olufela Reed, Harrison James - on loan to Norwich City for 2017-18 season Lewis, Harry Charles John - on loan to Dundee United for 2017-18 season Seager, Ryan Paul - on loan to MK Dons for 2017-18 season 3rd year scholars 2017-18 (scholarship extended at end of 2016-17 season) Cull, Benjamin Simon 2nd year scholars 2017-18 Freeman, Kieran Bradley Green, Jamie Siu, Javen Michael Gardner, Oliver 1st year scholars 2017-18 Ledwidge, Kameron Kozák, Šimon Brennan, Sean Owen, Bailey Ferry, William Bartlett, Daniel Grahame Norton, Christian Anthony Olufunwa, Oludare Samuel Araba Ramsay, Kayne Fleary, Taymar Robise, Enzo

Opening post updated with Mario Lemina's arrival. I note the first team squad profiles were updated earlier today. The U23 and U18 profiles remain a bit of a dog's dinner but will doubtless be put right eventually.

Next season will also need careful planning. As things stand, we have 26 over 21s (includes Gazza and Reed). Next year Bednarek, Flannigan, Wood, Hesketh, Barnes and Seager from the current under 21 list will qualify as over 21s if they are still at the club by then with the same number out of contract: Taylor, Pied, Yoshida, Wood, Gardos and Flannigan.

Going as far as number 35 the following are all vacant 1, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, 29, 31

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-08-04/southampton-squad-numbers-2017-18-season Opening post updated with revised squad numbers and Matt Targett's new contract

At the moment we have 25 players that qualify as over 21s for the coming season: Forster Soares Yoshida Classie Gardoș Stephens Long Davis Austin Tadić McQueen McCarthy Romeu Gallagher Ward-Prowse van Dijk Targett Boufal Gabbiadini Bertrand Redmond Højbjerg Taylor Gazzaniga Pied Reed is also over 21 but on loan to Norwich City for the whole season so will be excluded from 25 man squad. So for anyone over 21 we bring in we will need to loan out or omit the equivalent number of players from the 25 man squad. It seems inconceivable that we will name 4 'keepers so it seems likley that Gazza (possibly McCarthy?) will be loaned. But not obvious who else. Gardos, perhaps. Anyway we're now in the position of 1 in needs to be offset by 1 out. We've largely been doing for a while anyway (without having to do so before).

I have updated the opening post with the new scholars announced yesterday and the contract extensions announced today. However, today's announcement does not say how long the contracts run, which is unhelpful as far as this thread is concerned! I've made an assumption they are all 2 year deals - unlikely to be too far out!

I have updated the opening post with the new scholars announced yesterday and the contract extensions announced today. However, today's announcement does not say how long the contracts run, which is unhelpful as far as this thread is concerned! I've made an assumption they are all 2 year deals - unlikely to be too far out!

Post 1 updated with contract extensions for Sam Gallagher and Jack Stephens

https://www.premierleague.com/news/408901 A full retained list has been published on the Premier League site. I have updated the opening post. Highlights Pros offered contracts Stuart Taylor Jake Flannigan Note Jason McCarthy is not on the list of those offered new contracts but is on the list of those retained so either he's already signed a new contract or he wasn't out of contract Scholarships extended Ben Cull Dan Nlundulu Scholars offered pro deals Ben Rowthorn Siph Mdlalose Nathan Tella Pros released Martin Caceres Cuco Martina Harley Willard Lloyd Isgrove Scholars released Neal Osborne Rugare Musendo Connor Langan Archie Thomas