DuncanRG

Vertonghen and Townsend for Lallana. (Vertonghen wouldn't be particularly enthused about coming here, mind...)

We could definitely do worse if Lallana is going to leave. Depends how much cash though. I doubt Liverpool are going to go above £25m so if they're true to their word and move on to other targets if we reject, Spurs are next in line. It would still be a good move but I do wonder whether it would be easier for him to spend another year with us, improve and go to Liverpool or another top club next summer. If he played out of his skin for Spurs and they still finished 5th he'd struggle to get away.

You have to wonder whether it forces us to bring Osvaldo back into the fold.

Same here. It's fairly clear now he's been after a payday. Perhaps the Osvaldo signing was a factor as well but he'd have had equally stiff competition from Andy Carroll if he'd gone there.

First reports I've seen of us actually having conversations with people. Interesting that it says Sherwood has spoken to us, rather than the other way around.

Adam Blackmore confirmed earlier that the club denied him a move to West Ham but didn't say when, so we don't know if it was Cortese or Krueger. I expect Rickie and Cortese were on the same wavelength and trying to sort something out

This is no time to tell. If I had to put money down now I'd say we won't be as good as last season but we'll be safe.

Steven Gerrard:

Yes and yes, no doubts.

A Southampton legend and one of English football's great stories. Proud to have been a part of it. Once the wounds heal I will be cheering him on.

This is his first significant mistake. We'll have to see if they can make up for it over the rest of the summer.

Spotted this headline on the BBC. I was hoping it would be about something else... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-27610788

He said that they want to involve the manager and that's why they're looking to get the appointment done quickly. He didn't promise that they would involve him in every single sale.

There is this to consider. It looks like the new manager will have money to play with and a brief to build a squad in his image. The problem with the timing is more the message it sends out to other players. It's all well and good planning to bring in a top class manager and quality players, but if you can't prove that to the players before you start selling then you'll plant that seed of doubt.

I'm absolutely furious at the timing. If Liverpool had offered crazy money and turning it down now would mean selling him for much less later on in the window, then there would at least be some rationale. Still wouldn't make it worth the blow to credibility and team morale, but at least there would be a tangible reason. I don't know what's possessed them to sell before the World Cup, before we have a manager and for just over half what West Ham offered in January. I hope we have some good news very, very soon because this is unacceptable.

From the Telegraph's report (which says that Liverpool are hoping to secure a 'bargain' £4m switch): "Liverpool are adamant they will not go beyond their carefully calculated valuations – something they believe the club has done too often in the past." That can only be a good thing. Price them out.

People find it very easy to say 'no one is bigger than the club' when somebody has already left. Now is when that principle is really tested. Do we deny our talisman his dream move for the good of the club?

Except rejecting the bids, which is what we have done so far for at least three players.

He won the Copa del Rey.

If he's appointed he will join with the strongest CV of any Southampton manager I can think of. He has managed some truly great clubs and he has won trophies with them. I don't know the first thing about his style of football but on prestige it would be a remarkable appointment.

No players have been sold. Stop crying.

The story broke hours ago

If the story had broken as 'Southampton reject Liverpool bid for Rickie Lambert' I don't think any of us would be half as worried

Yes - it's the last dream for him to tick off. He wouldn't play regularly but representing England at the World Cup and your boyhood team in the European Cup is as good as it gets. I feel for him, but we cannot let him go. Not now. When the new manager is in and there are replacements lined up then maybe, but we have to be certain that we have a strikeforce which can adjust to a Southampton team without Rickie Lambert

Saints turn down bid for Rickie Lambert, says Adam Blackmore