January 18 transfer window

It's not worth signing anyone who won't want to play in the Championship next season and League 1 the year after that. We really need to plan for the future, not just the next few months of enjoying our last few games as a Premier League side. Some fans really need a reality check if they think the club are going to try and buy Premier League quality players this window who they'll have to let go in the Summer. They're smarter than that.

The Club had a notional book value of circa £240m at the time of the 80% sale by the Liebherrs. If we get relegated the notional value drops by approx £200m and that would normally be a very good reason why spending £50m+ to avoid relegation would be a sound move. The fact that the Board have been so slow to act, does not indicate that they have been acting smart.

75 million received and nothing spent. I realise that the 75 million will be received over time, but by the same token we only have to pay for new players over time also. Therefore, we can afford to spend 75 million on players now and still break even (minus Celtic's sell on fee).

We don’t have and we won’t get £75 million.

Obvious embellishment to emphasise a very valid point.

11:56FOXES OPEN TO ULLOA EXIT

Leonardo Ulloa is another player that Leicester are prepared to let go, if the deal is right, according to Sky sources.

Sky Sports News understands Aston Villa have made an approach to take him on loan, but a number of other clubs are also interested.

BESIKTAS IN SLIMANI TALKSBesiktas want to sign Leicester striker Islam Slimani, Sky Sports News understands.

Club president Fikret Orman is currently in Leicester, and was at King Power Stadium last night to see Slimani play against Fleetwood in the FA Cup.

We understand talks between Leicester and Besiktas are ongoing, but there’s been no official comment from Leicester.

We don’t have and we won’t get £75 million.

You're probably right but I guess we'll just have to wait about 18 months for the accounts that show just how much we actually got.

11:56FOXES OPEN TO ULLOA EXIT

Leonardo Ulloa is another player that Leicester are prepared to let go, if the deal is right, according to Sky sources.

Sky Sports News understands Aston Villa have made an approach to take him on loan, but a number of other clubs are also interested.

 

BESIKTAS IN SLIMANI TALKSBesiktas want to sign Leicester striker Islam Slimani, Sky Sports News understands.

Club president Fikret Orman is currently in Leicester, and was at King Power Stadium last night to see Slimani play against Fleetwood in the FA Cup.

We understand talks between Leicester and Besiktas are ongoing, but there’s been no official comment from Leicester.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really want us to sign Slimani - I think he has massive potential to be prolific in this league.

We don’t have and we won’t get £75 million.

For all intents and purposes, we'll have around £60m-£65m to invest how we see fit. Probably closer to £60m. Plenty enough to do something substantial with.

The Club had a notional book value of circa £240m at the time of the 80% sale by the Liebherrs. If we get relegated the notional value drops by approx £200m and that would normally be a very good reason why spending £50m+ to avoid relegation would be a sound move. The fact that the Board have been so slow to act, does not indicate that they have been acting smart.

How did you come up with £200m?

The Club had a notional book value of circa £240m at the time of the 80% sale by the Liebherrs. If we get relegated the notional value drops by approx £200m and that would normally be a very good reason why spending £50m+ to avoid relegation would be a sound move. The fact that the Board have been so slow to act, does not indicate that they have been acting smart.

How did you come up with the idea of spending £50m of someone else's money?

For all intents and purposes, we'll have around £60m-£65m to invest how we see fit. Probably closer to £60m. Plenty enough to do something substantial with.

Exactly, and thats assuming the club were skint before they sold VVD (very doubtful considering the Sky millions and massive recent sales) and Mr "next level" Gao is not prepared to invest a penny himself to stop his purchase being worth a fraction of what he paid only months ago.

£60mill should be a minimum.

Well it's going swimmingly so far!

:(

It would be irritating if Andre Silva ends up at Swansea. Perhaps the club is prioritizing Carrillo because he’s cheaper and has played with Pellegrino before, but I don’t think that “cheaper” and especially “played with Pellegrino before” are factors that many supporters appreciate at this point in the transfer window.

The Club had a notional book value of circa £240m at the time of the 80% sale by the Liebherrs. If we get relegated the notional value drops by approx £200m and that would normally be a very good reason why spending £50m+ to avoid relegation would be a sound move. The fact that the Board have been so slow to act, does not indicate that they have been acting smart.

I generally agree with that logic, although I doubt our value would drop that drastically, especially as we’re a business with a guaranteed £65-75 million on our books (and no, it doesn’t matter that the payments are staged! Accountants adjust for such things).

Mr Gao is a successful and ruthless businessman. I cannot believe he’s an idiot who doesn’t realise the state we’re in, or that he can be easily duped by Ralph and Les’s positive spin.

He clearly didn’t borrow £200 million just so he could asset strip and repay his lenders really quickly. It isn’t a payday loan to get us through a few bad months, it is a long-term loan to give him the capital to invest long-term so he can grow the value of his asset. That’s how multi-million Pound businesses make money.

Borrowing £200 million, asset stripping and selling off the shell of a club remaining to cobble together £210 million to repay the loan plus interest would mean he hadn’t made any money for himself at all!

The best way Mr Gao can make money is to ensure Saints remain an established Premier League team (with accelerating TV money) that makes good returns on investing in players by buying cheap, improving them and selling for big profits. And then repeat. Then in 10 years time he may have a £400 million asset. He can then pay off his loans (plus interest) and walk away with a massive profit - and happy supporters too!

Step 1 imho won’t be to hire a new First Team Manager (as he is hopefully self-aware enough to leave that to football experts), but to hire a Chief Executive with a remit to turn things around quickly and avoid relegation.

He's had plenty of time to appoint a new CEO but hasn't so you'd have to conclude that he thinks Kreuger is good enough for him.

Considering we're 17 days into the window there is a surprising lack of murmuring go on - ordinarily this wouldn't bother me because Saints don't do their 'shopping' in public.

However, after we've been fed names quite obviously from the club, it is slightly worrying that everything has gone quiet now, and I mean really quiet - there isn't a single rumour floating about - other than Carillo (another story).

I guess the thing is, the reason everyone is feeling **** is because this is the first time since 2009 that things that have genuinely been rather worrying. Yes, when Cortese went and then Poch that felt worrying but then RK came in and that was great. Then he went and we panicked but then Puel came in and was dull but an 8th place finish and a cup final alleviated some of those worries.

We're now in a downward spiral and all fans want is some reassurance from the club that they understand the predicament and are looking at ways to sort it out - we currently have nothing.

I really want us to sign Slimani - I think he has massive potential to be prolific in this league.

Either are upgrades on what we have so means we wont get either and despite being exactly what we need those in power have lost their way.

We have 2 strikers - one wants away not exactly rocket science to bring in. Ulloa is exactly the forward we need - links it, holds it up and brings others in and decent in the air.

Not much coming out from the usual ITK chaps. It's a bit of a bleak time!

He's had plenty of time to appoint a new CEO but hasn't so you'd have to conclude that he thinks Kreuger is good enough for him.

Kreuger is not CEO. Neither is Krueger.

I generally agree with that logic, although I doubt our value would drop that drastically, especially as we’re a business with a guaranteed £65-75 million on our books (and no, it doesn’t matter that the payments are staged! Accountants adjust for such things).

 

Mr Gao is a successful and ruthless businessman. I cannot believe he’s an idiot who doesn’t realise the state we’re in, or that he can be easily duped by Ralph and Les’s positive spin.

 

He clearly didn’t borrow £200 million just so he could asset strip and repay his lenders really quickly. It isn’t a payday loan to get us through a few bad months, it is a long-term loan to give him the capital to invest long-term so he can grow the value of his asset. That’s how multi-million Pound businesses make money.

 

Borrowing £200 million, asset stripping and selling off the shell of a club remaining to cobble together £210 million to repay the loan plus interest would mean he hadn’t made any money for himself at all!

 

The best way Mr Gao can make money is to ensure Saints remain an established Premier League team (with accelerating TV money) that makes good returns on investing in players by buying cheap, improving them and selling for big profits. And then repeat. Then in 10 years time he may have a £400 million asset. He can then pay off his loans (plus interest) and walk away with a massive profit - and happy supporters too!

 

Step 1 imho won’t be to hire a new First Team Manager (as he is hopefully self-aware enough to leave that to football experts), but to hire a Chief Executive with a remit to turn things around quickly and avoid relegation.

'well done Mr Pellegrino, we are indeed improving'

I'd rather we signed an attacking, creative midfielder before we assigns a striker and just keep Gabbi.

He clearly didn’t borrow £200 million just so he could asset strip and repay his lenders really quickly. It isn’t a payday loan to get us through a few bad months, it is a long-term loan to give him the capital to invest long-term so he can grow the value of his asset. That’s how multi-million Pound businesses make money.

 

Borrowing £200 million, asset stripping and selling off the shell of a club remaining to cobble together £210 million to repay the loan plus interest would mean he hadn’t made any money for himself at all!

But football has a habit of making mugs out of successful business people. He obviously didn't plan on spending £200mill on a Championship club worth £50-60mill? but that might be what he has done.

If that is what he's done what's plan b? Asset strip, cut your losses and leave a shell of a club or chuck more money at it hoping for promotion in a few years time?

I generally agree with that logic, although I doubt our value would drop that drastically, especially as we’re a business with a guaranteed £65-75 million on our books (and no, it doesn’t matter that the payments are staged! Accountants adjust for such things).

 

Mr Gao is a successful and ruthless businessman. I cannot believe he’s an idiot who doesn’t realise the state we’re in, or that he can be easily duped by Ralph and Les’s positive spin.

 

He clearly didn’t borrow £200 million just so he could asset strip and repay his lenders really quickly. It isn’t a payday loan to get us through a few bad months, it is a long-term loan to give him the capital to invest long-term so he can grow the value of his asset. That’s how multi-million Pound businesses make money.

 

Borrowing £200 million, asset stripping and selling off the shell of a club remaining to cobble together £210 million to repay the loan plus interest would mean he hadn’t made any money for himself at all!

 

The best way Mr Gao can make money is to ensure Saints remain an established Premier League team (with accelerating TV money) that makes good returns on investing in players by buying cheap, improving them and selling for big profits. And then repeat. Then in 10 years time he may have a £400 million asset. He can then pay off his loans (plus interest) and walk away with a massive profit - and happy supporters too!

 

Step 1 imho won’t be to hire a new First Team Manager (as he is hopefully self-aware enough to leave that to football experts), but to hire a Chief Executive with a remit to turn things around quickly and avoid relegation.

I think this is a good sensible post and completely agree about the need to appoint a CEO, ASAP.

I would rather we signed a forward who holds the ball up, and brings other players into the game further up the pitch.

This is what Pelle did so effectively, but wasn't given enough credit for, and what we have missed greatly. Austin as good a finisher as he is, is not a target man in the sense of playing with his back to goal.

Play Gabbi or Austin up front with this style forward and they would score over 20 goals a season.

But this means the manager changing the boring formation that is proving so successful this season...

Mr Gao is a successful and ruthless businessman.

He isn't that ruthless leaving in a failing manager and academy is he? Or Are you looking at that we sold a 10m player for 75m thats successful I suppose.

Someone said on another thread Austin is out until march surely the club need to bring another striker in Jan if that's true ( actually they still need to bring in a striker even if it's not true).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/17/southampton-look-conclude-quick-deal-monacos-argentinian-striker/

Given that no other Premier League team is in for Carillo, we'll most likely get him. Just hope it is very soon.

It's nice to know that the club are "concerned" by recent results, no **** sherlock!!!

Anyone starting to think like me yet...?

As one of the original "Les Reed Out" group.... yes I am thinking like you. Although it would be political suicide with the fanbase if the board allow that to happen.

We seemed to have gone from buying the best talent from lesser known/smaller teams to looking on the benches of top clubs for players who can't get a game there !

If we only sign this Carrillo then it will be yet another underwhelming transfer window.

Ah yes but don't the Chinese read from the right to the left? this seasons position would be the first they read eg 17th and then last seasons next to it saying 8th

'well done Mr Pellegrino, we are indeed improving'

No, they read top to bottom so maybe they haven't noticed we're 17th

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/17/southampton-look-conclude-quick-deal-monacos-argentinian-striker/

 

Given that no other Premier League team is in for Carillo, we'll most likely get him. Just hope it is very soon.

 

It's nice to know that the club are "concerned" by recent results, no **** sherlock!!!

There is nothing that gives me hope in that article, good to get a signing obviously, but if they really still believe that guff that we were ****e cos VVD made us ****e there really is no hope. Obviously we are not getting a centre back then.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/17/southampton-look-conclude-quick-deal-monacos-argentinian-striker/

 

Given that no other Premier League team is in for Carillo, we'll most likely get him. Just hope it is very soon.

 

It's nice to know that the club are "concerned" by recent results, no **** sherlock!!!

someone in the board room looked at the league table finally ?

I wonder if there is a good reason as to why nobody else wants this Carrillo fella ?

There is nothing that gives me hope in that article, good to get a signing obviously, but if they really still believe that guff that we were ****e cos VVD made us ****e there really is no hope. Obviously we are not getting a centre back then.

If we only sign this Carrillo then it will be yet another underwhelming transfer window.

I think it will be anyway.

As I’ve said previously, this is the second January window in a row that we’ve reduced in quality. Says a lot for the management of the club

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/17/southampton-look-conclude-quick-deal-monacos-argentinian-striker/

 

Given that no other Premier League team is in for Carillo, we'll most likely get him. Just hope it is very soon.

 

It's nice to know that the club are "concerned" by recent results, no **** sherlock!!!

When you think in previous years we have made some really exciting signings with the likes of mane, Wanyama, alderweireld, vvd etc etc we have really seen a step backwards where we are signing reserve players.

I think it will be anyway.

 

As I’ve said previously, this is the second January window in a row that we’ve reduced in quality. Says a lot for the management of the club

The DT article suggests we also want a creative wide player with pace (again what the doctor ordered). Wouldn't be surprised if get someone in.

When you think in previous years we have made some really exciting signings with the likes of mane, Wanyama, alderweireld, vvd etc etc we have really seen a step backwards where we are signing reserve players.

To be fair, Toby was a reserve player when we signed him.

But I do get what you mean in a sense, but you also need to look at the clubs we're getting these players from. We're not going up to Celtic or Saltzburg, we're getting players from Bayern Munich, Juventus, Monaco, Napoli etc. They'll obviously be reserve players there as we wouldn't be able to get near a first team player. They may be reserves, but they're good quality reserves. It's up to the manager to build a good team, we don't have bad players.

To be fair, Toby was a reserve player when we signed him.

 

But I do get what you mean in a sense, but you also need to look at the clubs we're getting these players from. We're not going up to Celtic or Saltzburg, we're getting players from Bayern Munich, Juventus, Monaco, Napoli etc. They'll obviously be reserve players there as we wouldn't be able to get near a first team player. They may be reserves, but they're good quality reserves. It's up to the manager to build a good team, we don't have bad players.

We used to buy the best players from mid sized clubs and now for some reason we are buying the average players from the big clubs. In terms of potential I know what I would go with. I wonder what has changed.

But the average players at the big clubs would probably be the best players at mid sized clubs. We're not signing washed up, they're still young. People like Lemina, Hojbjerg, Hoedt are still really young and have tons of growth.

http://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-prem-trio-plot-moves-for-former-man-utd-flop

Reserves we've signed from big teams since promotion, from memory. Shout if I've missed any:

Lovren - hit

Alderweireld - hit

Bertrand - hit

Romeu - hit

Caceres - miss

Gabbiadini - mixed

Hojbjerg - mixed

Lemina - ??

http://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-prem-trio-plot-moves-for-former-man-utd-flop

 

But the average players at the big clubs would probably be the best players at mid sized clubs. We're not signing washed up, they're still young. People like Lemina, Hojbjerg, Hoedt are still really young and have tons of growth.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/17/southampton-look-conclude-quick-deal-monacos-argentinian-striker/

 

Given that no other Premier League team is in for Carillo, we'll most likely get him. Just hope it is very soon.

 

It's nice to know that the club are "concerned" by recent results, no **** sherlock!!!

Surely that's just another "puff" PR piece from the Club's favoured Journo. No reason to believe it at all.

The Telegraph article reads to me that they have run out of patience with MP and are preparing to act.

"Pellegrino’s position is now under considerable scrutiny and, while the club hierarchy are sympathetic to the difficulties he faced while Van Dijk was still in the dressing-room and evidently keen to leave, they are concerned by recent results......There is still faith in a wider model and no desire to turn towards a manager who might be perceived more as a quick fix, but the final two weeks of the transfer window are becoming critical"

In other words, they've given him a few games to show that the VVD situation was making life difficult but results and performances haven't improved, therefore making it clear that poor old MP isn't the man for the job. They believe the overall approach and structure of the club works so wouldn't ordinarily entertain getting in a 'survival specialist' as a long term replacement, however remaining in the premier league is fundamental to everything, esp the Gao deal, so a short term contract to see us through and then appoint a longer term replacement is a more likely scenario.

Having said that I think all the usual survival specialists are now accounted for so god knows who would be able to come in and sort things out!

The Telegraph article reads to me that they have run out of patience with MP and are preparing to act.

 

"Pellegrino’s position is now under considerable scrutiny and, while the club hierarchy are sympathetic to the difficulties he faced while Van Dijk was still in the dressing-room and evidently keen to leave, they are concerned by recent results......There is still faith in a wider model and no desire to turn towards a manager who might be perceived more as a quick fix, but the final two weeks of the transfer window are becoming critical"

 

In other words, they've given him a few games to show that the VVD situation was making life difficult but results and performances haven't improved, therefore making it clear that poor old MP isn't the man for the job. They believe the overall approach and structure of the club works so wouldn't ordinarily entertain getting in a 'survival specialist' as a long term replacement, however remaining in the premier league is fundamental to everything, esp the Gao deal, so a short term contract to see us through and then appoint a longer term replacement is a more likely scenario.

 

Having said that I think all the usual survival specialists are now accounted for so god knows who would be able to come in and sort things out!

If they have run out of patience why bring in Carrillo, who must surely be a Pellegrino buy?

If they have run out of patience why bring in Carrillo, who must surely be a Pellegrino buy?

Might explain why a seemingly straight forward deal is taking so long - perhaps they're stalling or maybe the player is himself if he thinks his mate is going to get ditched. But yes, that's true - maybe the black box suggests he's worth it.

Surely that's just another "puff" PR piece from the Club's favoured Journo. No reason to believe it at all.

What possible motivation would they have for putting out a false briefing about the transfer of a reserve Monaco striker?

If they have run out of patience why bring in Carrillo, who must surely be a Pellegrino buy?

famed black box once more focuses on players that have a close link with the manager.

Part of the attraction of bringing a foreign manager to the club from a different league is that he will have the inside track of the top (and perhaps untapped) talent in the league as koeman did with Tadic and Pelle. It doesn't feel like Puel or Pellegrini's situations/knowledge has been exploited enough (with just Boufal signing) although perhaps the Classie signing ****ed that up for everyone!