S-Clarke

It did look pretty bad at time tbh, esp. how he went down. I just assume he simply doesn't want to play for the U21's

We're now buying players for more than the club cost. Crazy.

Wouldn't be my idea of comedy tbf.

But proven youth, is what I'm trying to get at. Compared to last year - Rodriguez, Mayuka, Gaston, Clyne - very much unproven young players, with huge potential. You'd have to say that Lovren and Wanyama are still young, but they're up a ''notch'' as they're proven players at the top level.

He's trying to get the scoop, when in fact he's days behind.

Hey, I'm actually a pretty good manager. I've got a good rep on that game.

He pretty much has. It's as official as it can be until it's on t he OS.

He knows what he's doing, and is surrounding himself with people who also know what they're doing. There is a plan and it's being executed to undoubted perfection. Money will help, but as we've seen with QPR - there needs to be a plan and a structure, otherwise you're throwing empty notes around. Our transfer policy can't really be bettered in terms of what we're trying to do. I posted this on another thread, but last year was all about young talent. This year is all about proven players. They're not in it to rush and bulldoze their way through it, they do it in their way in their own time and to their own structure. Whatever happens, this club is in one of it's best places in recent times.

To confirm how unrealistic this signing actually is, I can't even attract him to join us on FM FFS? Won't even enter talks.

Crook is just writing up the exclusive as we speak.

Perseverance always gets it in the end. If everyone gave up after a first refusal, there'd be a world full of single men.

It's a sticky. It's happening.

Well, those papers are clearly about 4 days behind.

http://tinypic.com/ Upload it to there, it produces a link, and you just embed it as a photo on here.

Monk, you should have left that running.

Love the method behind our targets and signings to be honest, looking back on last year you can see what we're doing. Steady, and structured. No rush jobs. Last year was all about buying bright young talent who have the potential to be international and top flight players. This year it's all about buying proven top level, international and European class players. Next year.........?

Thought we needed desperate cover for Clyne at RB a month or so ago, now there's no need what so ever. All we now need is a striker, and we're done, and have one of the strongest ever PL squads we've had in my lifetime.

[h=2]So he can handle the pressure?[/h] He's got plenty of attitude on the pitch but he also needs an arm round the shoulder. 'I play better when I'm happy,' he has said. 'In Italy I was not happy. 'There, unless you score 15 goals in three games you get dropped. Here I don't feel the pressure and I have fun. I need to feel important at a club.' [h=2]What kind of striker is he?[/h] Espanyol play a 4-2-3-1 formation and he operates as a lone front man. He's quick, strong and very skilful. He likes to face the goal, is very direct and knows how to finish with both feet and with his head. [h=2]And the supporters love him?[/h]The top-selling shirt at Espanyol is the No 21 worn by the club's late captain Dani Jarque, who died in 2009 at the age of just 26. Osvaldo's No 17 shirt is close behind. They love the tireless running, they love the goals (11 in 18 starts this season) and they especially love his machine-gun celebration when he scores. [h=2]So he'd light up the Premier League?[/h]He's a Europa League player more than a Champions League player at the moment but he's only 25 so could really push on at the right club. He has an Italian passport so there are no work permit issues and Argentina's wealth of great strikers means he won't be called away for too many internationals - he has not been selected for the Copa America next month.

And now we're buying first choice players from Roma, who are also current internationals. But what makes it even more special, is that the core of the side who beat Plymouth are still here and performing well. What a great story.

http://www.football-italia.net/38485/report-osvaldo-accepts-saints

We'll be done once Osvaldo signs, a very productive window if I say so myself.

Yeah, as far as I know. Pablo also actually has dual nationality, Argentinan and Italian.

Well, this is happening then. So, that'll be around 40+ spent this summer.

Osvaldo, at the airport - final farewells. Southampton one step away/next step away.