S-Clarke

IMO he's a premier league level player, so this is a massive coup for us.

Which would explain why Sky haven't twigged on it yet.

Probably around £1m

It's pretty mouthwatering tbh! If we can keep that together it could compete in the premiership if/when we get there.

Saints are delighted to announce the signing of England Under-21 international Jack Cork. The club's first addition of the summer signals the ambition to compete in this division, with Saints beating a number of clubs from both the Premier League and the Championship to the midfielder's signature. It is a welcome return to St. Mary's for Jack, with the former Chelsea man returning to the south coast almost three years after a half season loan spell at the club during its previous stint at this level. 23 year-old Cork joins for an undisclosed fee from the Premier League giants and is also well known to Saints current management staff having spent an early part of his career with Nigel Adkins and Andy Crosby at S****horpe. Jack is a midfielder by trade, but is also versatile enough to play in defence which he showed at the recent England Under-21s fixture at St. Mary's where he featured at right back as the Three Lions kept a clean sheet against their Norwegian counterparts. Cork has been a Chelsea player since the age of 9 where he has captained both the Under-18s and reserves sides at Stamford Bridge. He has represented England at every youth level from Under-16 to Under-21, and has on occasion also been captain. His father is former Wimbledon and Sheffield United striker Alan Cork, who played professionally from the late seventies to the early nineties predominantly in English football. Having played for numerous clubs in the Championship on a loan basis, Jack has now decided that St. Mary's is the best place to call home for his blossoming career for the next four years, during which time he aims to return to the Premier League. Jack Cork said of the move: "I'm excited really. It all started to happen this morning, I came down and met the Chairman and the Manager today and I'm really happy to get it sorted. This is a big part of my life now in moving away from Chelsea and to feel part of a club like I do here is really nice. "It was a massive decision to make. I had another year left at Chelsea, but I've been wanting to get away for a while and have been waiting for the right move to present itself. The chance to come to Southampton came along, and having known the manager and having been here before and knowing some of the guys, it just felt like it was the right move for me. "There were other teams in for me but this always felt like the right option because this Club is really going places and heading in the right direction, so I'm delighted to be here and can't wait for the season to start."

Way to bring the mood down!

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2388516,00.html Sooo pleased! This is a massive statement of intent.

+1. So chuffed with this signing!

Any idea's what our valuation is? £1m?

lol ffs. The players aren't going to say it's **** anyway, so a pretty pointless fill article. I wonder what jack cork will be holding up when he signs...

If Chambo goes, otherwise he'd be a bench warmer and I doubt he'd move for that.

Because he's a ****

I reckon you could get a player of equal ability, and maybe even slightly better, based in Europe for around 1-2m. Easy. You just need to widen the nets scouting wise (which is what we're doing).

There is no chance anyone other than Leicester City will spend £5m on him, even Wolves bulked at the asking price. He's a good player and I'm ****ed off that we aren't enjoying him, but I wouldn't spend £5m on him even though I think we need a CB. Leicester aren't exactly living within their means, they're going **** or bust. I don't think we need to do that.

Benzema surley will play up top as a striker? and 27m is about 15m too much for him.

Punchon is a really talented player when he wants to be, but he will always be a journey man and have the odd couple of months of success here and there in his career. Rumours are that he doesn't want to go back to Blackpool as he couldn't settle there. He couldn't settle at Plymouth either, or here by the sounds of it. What is up with him? bit of a mentalist if you ask me.

I'm pretty sure that Les Reid is in essence our DoF, but just under a different job title.

Players follow the money, it really is as simple as that. We're living within our means, whereas West Ham and Leicester for e.g. are going **** or bust.

I bet you the Mellor story is an agent plant, just to push the price up a bit.

He's a pretty solid player, but at LB he'd get skinned by most (including our own chambo hopefully!). They seriously need at least 10 players don't they? to even be competitive...? crazy.

He's out of contract....they've offered him new terms, but he's stalling apparently.

are you ITK?

Looking at their squad makes you wonder WTF some of our lot are so worried about. We're in july and they cannot field a starting 11 - now that's something to get panicky about.

Isn't he like 41?

I think footballers are out to milk it as much as they can. Agents know that we're owned by a billionaire, so they'll try their best to get the most money out of us that they can. NC is clever and he'll never allow us to be taken the **** out of, which is probably why we're struggling to agree certain deals. I think you'll find when the end of the window comes and those players still haven't got their move, they'll be knocking on our door again - but hopefully, we'd have got suitable alternatives sorted by then.