david in sweden

....way back at the start of this thread....the question was ...is the Premier League too rich for us ? IF... you meant the quality of players that the top six clubs buy , then maybe the answer would be the same from most of the other 14 clubs , who have a transfer budget about the same amount as the " big money " clubs pay for just one individual.. and a bit more, and likes of City and United .and Chelsea frequently buy two or more at that cost in every window. Despite the huge amounts that rich club owners spend, few of them see any real success from their big money buys, and - with rare exception - the record-breaking fees that Saints have paid out over several decades have not been worth the outlay. Rich clubs merely do the same sort of business -with an extra nought on the fee but gain little. Survival is a priority for "the other 14 clubs " and the level of their salary bills forbid any big spending .

In his defence, ..we all baulk at the 20 million paid to Monaco for someone who just didn't fit into a side struggling to keep one foot out of the drop zone. No goals and just two assists wasn't much return of investment for the huge fee and he got virtually no support, or service from an already poor side. Another case of a very bad buy by " The Board of the Day ", at the behest of a new manager wanting one of his old players, and fans expecting him the player to hit the ground running and produce masses of goals. Nothing glorious about that deal right from day 1. No-one at the club remembered that deal ...when we went out and bought Onuachu.

Good luck to him. For someone who grew up and played much of his early football in the Midlands, a change of environment might suit him and there are worse places to play football than in Italy. Whatever we may say about his scoring performances, he was never one to shrink from a tackle and took a lot of stick from big defenders whilst we were in the Prem. Maybe a new team formation will benefit him. ITALY ....well, It's not for the rest of his life, but it will give him new opportunities, and may even help up his games for Scotland.

Someone ...capable enough of being ....as good as / better than .. Bazunu, (whose predicted return date may not be until we're past the halfway point in the season)... by which time GB will have been out of the game for the better part of one year. No amount of training can be guaranteed to bring him upto the necessary Prem. standard by next spring. I'm pleased that we kept Alex McCarthy on the books, as his contribution to our promotion should not be under-rated, and was probably his most valuable contribution to the club, when he was rarely the long term first choice keeper. With a view to (the paragraph above) we need a top class keeper capable of DAJFU behind our new / makeshift back line. Clearly Lis will return to Turkey, and Brighton may not be happy to let Jason Steele leave the club for another Prem. side. Although it may break the bank, I'd be in favour of getting Ramsdale in. He may not be up to the standard than Arsenal wanted (?) but his occasional England performances were fairly good - if not entirely equal to " the Pickford standard ".. The other alternative would be some " foreign import ".. (we are keeping very quite about) with international experience / suitable credentials . At any rate ..whoever it will be, we won't be needing 4 keepers, and so it would seem that Joe Lumley will end up drawing the short straw.

What was that ?.....a FIT Ross Stewart...does such a person exist ?

Easy..... those who can learn to pass the ball 20 times without losing possession, or expecting to gain ground on the opposition. r

Yes I agree, but not for anything like the 45 million we demanded from Juventus for a permanent move.

Strangely enough ...many of you (above) have selected squads that clearly seem to omit... Adam Lallana. YES... we know he's 36, and was a free transfer and is only on a one year deal (so far), and I'm sure he's on a good salary, but I don't expect to see him cheering the young / new players on from the bench all season, whilst occasionally getting a 10 minute sub. appearance. I think RM is serious about using him as often as possible, and perhaps frequently as a starting player ....at least for 60 minutes, or more. The very idea of simply ignoring him, in favour of newly-signed, and some lower league players with no experience of the Prem. is simply ridiculous. I think I may have hit a few raw nerves there, and I expect a number of specific individuals come back with acidic comments, but common sense says we didn't get him back " for old time's sake" , and we may well see him as a regular for the foreseeable future whilst he can still DAJFU.

....and Saints were very grateful for all those late goals last season, otherwise we might still be in the Championship. It shows a " never say die spirit " and playing hard right up to the final whistle.

were outclassed by Spain for much of the game, but tackled and defended well ........all things considered. Last minute corner with 3 chances to score ; first header parried by the goalie, second shot cleared off the line and third attempt from Rice (in the six yard box )..went over the bar . Sorry he doesn't impress me . How much did he cost?.... 100 plus million .!!! Hope Arsenal are pleased with him, but he'll never become " a Gerrard or Lampard " for England.

You're right , but the problem is the fee that almost every club will ask... even for " a reasonably good " keeper.

AGREED. With rare exception, the majority of our big money signings have been a real disappointment and a financial disaster.

Mmmm....Looking at the programme (names) most of them are Under 21 anyway, and " overage players" are allowed in most games.

Is that a compliment ...or a complaint ? Historically (for many decades past) the vast percentage of our " record buys" have been totally disasterous investments, yet some of our best players who served the club well were signed for relatively small fees.,,(some even on free transfers) . The problem with this league is that fans start to discount any player signed for less than 20 million ..(even 40 million if they are in top six) whereas they are seldom value for the huge fees paid out. Luck / bad luck ...or just good timing ?. Spurs let KWP come to us, then spent almost 100 million on several "big names " in trying to replace him and who subsequently failed miserably. Every player is an investment (of sorts) but when clubs like Saints buy " a Lavia or Livramento ", and then sell them on it' s a win-win situation.

Full backs aren't required to be so tall, but youngsters do grow. Gareth Bale was (reportedly) still only 5'4" when he was 15 - but he beefed up in his late teens. I agree that Meghoma looks a good prospect, but likewise he's not PL material at present, but in time he may be needed, as long term injuries can put any player out for a season (as Larios knows himself). They don't count in " the 25 squad " if they are under a certain age and we need all the bodies we can get on the books to help combat injuries / form loss in the regulars. For younger players - chances come when they do - and they can make their name quickly.

Thank goodness for that Colin. It had been more than 48 hours since we'd signed ANYONE , and I was beginning to get withdrawal symptoms.

not so sure about that. Very few teenagers make the first team on a regular basis but I can see " the Larios and Meghoma-type " youngsters getting good loan-outs but it's a big step to the Prem. for anyone at that age, but they all need a taste of "men's football" at some level to access their ability. Lewis Payne had a season with Newport County last season , and hopefully will improve. He might return to the fold in a year or two -much improved. The " final 25 Prem." doesn't include anyone who is "underage " and so the Edozie's and Mara's may still be on the bench, but as additions to " the 25 ". It seems that we are in for a massive overhaul of the squad having started with the back line. So far Lallana is the only midfield " name " and still no sign of any new strikers yet. Having gone the season without Ross Stewart, and having lost Ché Adams, we need a couple of new names PDQ.

well if you fellas can leave all this personality cult chat about multiple postings ?......and let's get back to football. SCOTT McTOMINAY ...the 39th player to be linked with Saints so far this summer... (yes I've been counting them all). I recall when I first saw him play and was amazed how MU could select a player who was brutal and aggressive, and so crude in tackling. His on-field performances were often disgraceful, since when he has attained a disciplinary record nothing short of disgusting. - not to mention the numerous red cards. Aside from the likely fee ...If Saints were to pursue him it would mean mortgaging the Stadium to pay his salary. So my question on the issue is .....When do we sign him ?

Emergency loan ?...surely not . I think you'll find Caballero was bought as back-up during a " pre-season" and stayed with us for ...two years?. and so we need "an extra body" who knows what the Prem. is all about. Preferably a goalie with some sort of international experience. There is no certain date when Bazunu will return and he'll need to be a "bit better " (quality-wise) than he was in the Championship.

This thread has (nearly) all been about players we will sign, but on the outgoings will also add up to a bit. Onuacho's situation will rectify itself sooner or later. We may have to wait a bit for Sulemana's future to be determined. Alvarez going to another PL club ? With the influx of these new CB's perhaps also the time for Bednarek to move on ..? and Walker-Peters will likely go to WHam..(or somewhere else in London). Bella-Kotchap has one foot out of the door, likewise Caleta-Car . I quite liked Bree at FB, but he may not manage the higher level, also same goes with Mara. Don't know if the club has abandoned the Ross Stewart project, but unless he can show up 110% fit pre-season, he may get a loan-out somewhere. Also expect 3 or 4 of the best U21 lads to go out on loan to lower league clubs for more experience in the " man's game ". NOTE: I've been polishing up my crystal ball... and NOT saying I would like all these to happen (and would be a bit sad if they did), but now that we are back in the Prem. we'll need some more quality to help survive, AND there's no room for " dead wood " ....even on the bench.

......and what if he gets injured? , we'd be left with Joe Lumley ..and one of the U21 lads as Prem. League keeper.

Er.... .you're not the one who sings loudest... and is tone deaf - are you Turkish?

Haha....Wow that's a winner Turkish.. sinking ships?.. Is he coming into Southampton on a cruise liner ?... or ?

FREE TRANSFER ...seems to a phrase that upsets some on here, who consider that the player has no value, and is being discarded by his club. Nothing can be further from the truth. There are many valid reasons that players may leave a club, and naturally "not fitting the bill ", or being a square peg, surplus to requirements, or not making a speedy recovering from injury, or even catching the managers eye are all similar issues but there are also those players who don't want to renew their contracts ...for a variety of personal reasons. One might guess that Charlie Taylor chose the move himself, or perhaps newly-relegated Burnley couldn't afford his salary level in the Championship, and are looking to freshen up their side with younger (and cheaper) talents. Ryan Fraser's situation was well-publicised during last season, and is obvious. Likewise.. if Adam Lallana stays the course this season, he might even stay on longer (?), but we do know that these men represent good investments with many hundreds of games between them, and will bring much experience to the dressing room slowly filling with young talents and foreign newcomers. I do not expect these to be the last " frees" we sign this season, but as the alternative seems to be some sort of crazy contest to break the club's transfer record every season by signing totally unsuitable players who clearly don't fit the bill, the alternative seems an obvious solution in the short term. Saints have benefitted by many such deals in the distant past, but (sadly) have seen some very good talents go out of the door for no good reason.

For those "doubters " (above) ......perhaps they may have missed the fact that at 6'2" Wood more than qualifies for the role of a CB, - especially as he already has 26 England U16-U21 caps... and made his England U21 debut in the same side as Harwood Bellis earlier in the Spring. RM must have seen some quality in him whilst they were both at Swansea, so I know whose judgment I would accept. Any transfer that is in under double figures (in terms of millions) has to be a reasonable deal in the current market situation. There are players out there who are playing in lower league clubs, but are still good quality and worth the investment. (Historical note: In recent years I have heard a number of " name " managers , who said they had " looked at "...Virgil van Dijk playing at Celtic ....but didn't think he could make the transition to English football (!).... Saints didn't share those doubts. Naturally we cannot compare the two as they are totally different generations, but It might be interesting to look back in 5 years time and see what sort of progress Nathan Wood makes in his career, and if he was really worth such a paltry fee.