SuperSAINT

Well, we can only judge as things stand at the moment: 1) Massive fee. 2) Done VERY quickly. So far, so good. Now lets see if we can get rid of all the Malware from the Black-Box and get it firing again!

Indeed! Best case scenario is we sign players to get us out of it & firing on all cylinders. Worst case: MP builds a squad that puts us on a course for relegation & financial melt-down.

You did?!

Not often. Bet Liverpool come out and try & make out it isn't £75m. K,Billy said he'd get his dream move soon.

Their Saints Super XI mission must be nearly completed.

@TeleFootball: Exclusive: Liverpool agree world-record £75m fee for Virgil van Dijk ~ @JWTelegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/12/27/liverpool-agree-world-record-75m-deal-virgil-van-dijk/

I never have any idea how much players are worth now. What would Theo cost these days? Ox went for £40m with only 12 months left on his deal FFS.

Giroud would be perfect and if Gao mean't business, that's who we'd get. Will probably end up with Mitrovic.

Was linked a little while ago too. He might be like Bednarek, but actually good.

Adrian's Walcott / Dembele shout is a very good one for starters.

Yep, pretty much all of that is needed, during the worst time to sign players of value... To be decided by a hapless recruitment team, to supply a hapless coach. Not sure I'm too optimistic.

Koeman was arguably a Paul Mitchell appointment.

Deja vu?

Southampton resigned to losing Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool, Chelsea or Man City but want £70 million: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/southampton-resigned-losing-virgil-van-11754156

That sounds like it's definitely come from us.

Bad hamstring injury then....

Wowsers. £18m in today's market is good for Dembele. Fortunately our recruiters feel Shane Long will be good enough for this season.

Barca normally bodge their defensive signings or play midfielders at the back. Can't see them outbidding any of the English suitors.

http://sportwitness.co.uk/southampton-target-quizzed-interest-inter-milan-atletico-madrid-also-linked/

Could we have 10 of their players in exchange? Time will tell, but January isn't the best time to be trying to re-invest the money IMO.

Wouldn't have thought so, because it's not Les who's not picked him for 2 games in a row.

If we go from the noises coming out of Liverpool last summer, money should be no issue for them, whilst City "won't be held to ransom".

@AdamBlackmore: Pellegrino on whether Van Dijk’s omission today was linked with a move away in January: “Virgil, we know there will be a lot of speculation about him he's important player but I can't say anything right now.”