SuperSAINT

*PLEASE* let them be good owners if this is true.

It is very much the fear. His original 3 year deal deal was slightly unusual too. We normally do 4 year contracts.

Oriol Romeu was a misfit at both Barcelona and Chelsea but shrewd Southampton have found key to unlocking talent honed at La Masia: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-4112796/Oriol-Romeu-misfit-Barcelona-Chelsea-shrewd-Southampton-key-unlocking-talent-honed-La-Masia.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Has your source been right before?

It gets better... PAYET 'REFUSING TO PLAY' Bilic went on to explain Payet has no plans to play for West Ham against Crystal Palace this weekend - and fears he has already been sounded out by another club. He added: "We have said hundreds of times we don't want to sell our best players. He's definitely our best player. That's why we gave him a long contract - and then a new contract four months later. "I phoned him with that and he refused to play for us. I have a team to manage. He's probably been tapped up by some clubs or whatever. That is usual at this time of year. "Until he changes his attitude, he is out of the team and he's not going to train with us - but we are not going to sell him, not whatsoever."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/01/12/crystal-palace-transfer-news-7m-bid-lodged-patrick-van-aanholt/

PAYET 'DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY' Bilic also tells reporters his star player Dimitri Payet - a scorer of so many impressive goals since he arrived from Marseille two summers ago - doesn't want to play for West Ham. He said: "We have said we don't want to sell our best players but Dimitri Payet does not want to play for us. We are not going to sell him. "I spoke to the chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay."

ALLARDYCE ON TRANSFERS The Palace manager is instead keen to focus on how he can boost his squad and he has some ideas in mind as he looks to make improvements. Allardyce said: "My interest is to strengthen the defensive areas at this time. When Zaha and Sako come back we'll have options. Loic's fit again. "Strengthening attack is not my priority. Keeping clean sheets is a priority for me, it's imperative we stop letting goals in. We may look at other areas once we strengthen those defensive areas. ALLARDYCE EXPECTS DEVELOPMENTS It looks like the could be movement at Selhurst Park soon - with Allardyce anticipating news on that front imminently. He added: "We've got three or four bids in for players at the moment, I'll find out whether they've been accepted later today. "One [new player] would be nice - to start with! We've been very busy without great success at this time. Our aim last week was to have secured those defensive players we wanted by the end of this week. We're trying our best, prices are steep."

SSN: Sky sources understand Everton midfielder Tom Cleverley will have a medical at Watford today. The two clubs have agreed a loan deal until the end of the season with the option of making the move permanent.

Agree with the majority on here. I would keep largely the same team. Rotate for the Norwich game IMO, that way those players will get an 8 day rest.

He got linked last summer. Slightly underwhelming if true.

Wish he could've just got on with it & got his move in the summer. Although maybe it's for the best if he moves in and we can bed his replacement in for half a season.

@samcunningham: Claude Puel on the situation with Jose Fonte: 'We will see the next days about the possibility [of leaving] or not for Jose.'

Clasie did his bit tonight. Fair play.

Les.... Get him signed up NOW!

Whoa! Interesting.

Like a French, expensive Darren Powell?

I suppose you only really have to worry about re-sale value if you aren't flush with cash.

He doesn't fit our type of buy but he's in a fairly unique situation: He's available, he (by all accounts) wants to stay in the Prem and we have a vacant spot in the middle of our defence. He's going to cost some serious coin, but we can offset that against any ££'s we get from Jose leaving.

@ed_aarons: Everton agree £10.4m fee for Standard Liège striker Ishak Belfodil https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/11/everton-ishak-belfodil-standard-liege

You would have thought Everton was the more attractive move & possibly bigger payers (Should his other 2 options be West Ham / Palace) Here's hoping a Chinese club come calling with no morals, £13m cash, Jose gets his big contract and all ends well for all parties.

I loved playing the 2 midfielder's. I really wanted us to sign Gueye from Villa in the summer.

Martina is probably available for around £1m, TBF.

@TeleFootball: Tottenham's Tom Carroll linked with £8million move to Swansea City #THFC #SCAFC http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/01/11/tottenhams-tom-carroll-linked-8-million-move-swansea-city/

Probably true. Their opening bids for players have been laughable so far.