S-Clarke

That's the other added hammer blow with this deal, we've lost 3 players in effect. Cover at RB, cover in DM and a CB. So we'll probably go for 2 CM's now I think.

2 very good technical players, but neither are what I'd call the dominating centre back. Neither play at CB for Belgium which is interesting.

Given that it's not going to be our main starting 11 for the season as a whole, it really isn't that bad. There's no way we could have better 'cover' than those, IMO.

Oh yeah, Fabian Schar - forgot about him

Well, given the species up there, it's no surprise.

Portugal international, Portugal international, Japanese international captain, U21 international Harsh on Yoshida who didn't put a foot wrong when called upon last season. I wouldn't expect him to be our main-stay CB, but a club like us will never get a player as good as him who is happy to play as a squad player. I would imagine we'll get a CB before the season starts anyway.

Koeman has just spotted Les Reed in the distance.

Another 3 names if we fancy being really ambitious. Chancel Mbemba, Aymen Abdennour, Antonio Rudiger

Can't say I've seen a great deal of Van Dijk to be honest, hard to fully judge him when he's scoring against Queen of the South. but if he's anything like our recent Celtic acquisitions, then he should be fairly good..!!

He had a **** season tbf, got the feeling he's better suited in a 3 rather than a flat back 4. Very slow and seemingly has the turning speed of a tanker, not sure he's what Fonte needs next to him..... The lack of interest, seemingly, from anyone else is quite telling.

Just ignore him and he'll go away. Or Southampton can start winning games, and he'll go away.

Another name who will be familiar to us....Davide Astori? He's apparently on the market.

Key point is that he isn't and was never our player.

Maybe we were, maybe we weren't. It's impossible to say as the facts aren't out there, it's just assumption and speculation. The only nailed on fact we have is that Toby has signed for Spurs. How that happened and why that happened is up for debate, but I doubt we'll ever know the full ins and outs - maybe certain media outlets will try and spin it certain ways. It's pointless letting this drag, let's just focus on who will replace him now. I think we'll get ourselves a top quality CB.

Edited.

Oh don't worry, people will get upset...

This is true, very gutting for sure. Loved Toby.

with Messi, Suarez and Pique in-toe?

.....

The morgan saga is next up, then.

Thread closed.

svenclaes - said at 9:40 ''20 mins to go...''