Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[Smirking_Saint]

To progress the theme here of how the game has moved over the years, and I expect we’ll see the promoted three also fail this season, the parachute payment  scenario has further managed to destroy the pyramid, as well as the affluence in the prem

Promoted teams just don’t have the funds available to compete with even the smallest budget prem clubs, and a lot is due to PSR restrictions, but this just compounds issues in the Championship, because realistically us, Ipswich and even a Leicester with a deduction should have more than enough to compete in the EFL because our budgets are 3-4x than the next EFL club

Its an absolute mess and I have no idea how its unpicked 

One thing I do predict, and it could be Leeds or Birmingham, but we’ll start seeing clubs gambling with breaking PSR restrictions because Forest and Everton getting a 4 and 2 point deduction would be comfortably worth the gamble if you were able to then spend to compete with the next set of clubs

[Matthew Le God]

22 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Promoted teams just don’t have the funds available to compete with even the smallest budget prem clubs, and a lot is due to PSR restrictions, but this just compounds issues in the Championship, because realistically us, Ipswich and even a Leicester with a deduction should have more than enough to compete in the EFL because our budgets are 3-4x than the next EFL club

I don’t think it is down to money. Sport Republic spent £260m+ over the last two PL seasons. The funds were there, but the recruitment decisions were largely dreadful. If we'd had someone competent spending that money it would have made a big difference.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I don’t think it is down to money. Sport Republic spent £260m+ over the last two PL seasons. The funds were there, but the recruitment decisions were largely dreadful. If we'd had someone competent spending that money it would have made a big difference.

Good point. And in turn a couple of years of all three promoted clubs being relegated doesn't mean that's how it will always be. Spend the PL money wisely (and at least one of lessor teams doesn't for a couple of windows) and a promoted team will stay up. 

[Wade Garrett]

3 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Agree with you and @Farmer Saint- It’s the designed-in result that they required.
 

Sell-on clauses for promising youngsters that have been hoovered up by the wealthiest clubs simply protect the investment interests of those big and rich clubs. Those with the biggest and best national and international scouting infrastructure. Not those that cannot afford to maintain even regional academies anymore. 

The rest of the teams - and the leagues - are, quite literally, feedstock. 
 

Any perception of this being anything to do with “fair play” or anything remotely worthy of what many consider the importance of football for our society is just the wealthiest investors PR firms doing what they do. 
 

It’s cynical beyond belief. Yet few actually see it. The last few decades jumping in on Women’s football, BLM and LGBQT+ for example are essentially the same principle that the Saudis are using by sportwashing in the kingdom. 

I was referring to Saints continually buying players with potential, selling the club as a stepping stone, and them never being good enough to be automatic starters.  A system that continually fails the club and has put us where we are today.

Too many clever pricks who think they have reinvented football.

 

[Smirking_Saint]

38 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I don’t think it is down to money. Sport Republic spent £260m+ over the last two PL seasons. The funds were there, but the recruitment decisions were largely dreadful. If we'd had someone competent spending that money it would have made a big difference.

Its absolutely about money though

Established prem clubs, even Bournemouth and Wolves have squad players worth 20m+ now

SR obviously made terrible recruitment decisions which made competing even harder but the point still stands

Promoted clubs cannot compete, and then are too strong for the Championship

[Smirking_Saint]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

I was referring to Saints continually buying players with potential, selling the club as a stepping stone, and them never being good enough to be automatic starters.  A system that continually fails the club and has put us where we are today.

Too many clever pricks who think they have reinvented football.

 

Our younger buys have been our best one

I keep reading we should be buying established players instead of youngsters, but we’ve been shafted harder on the older heads tbh

[Midfield_General]

1 hour ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Established prem clubs, even Bournemouth and Wolves have squad players worth 20m+ now

I mean so do we, to be fair

[coalman]

6 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Our younger buys have been our best one

I keep reading we should be buying established players instead of youngsters, but we’ve been shafted harder on the older heads tbh

I think the phrase about a stopped clock being right twice a day covers our transfer policy. When you buy enough players eventually you luck into a good one. Trying to derive a strategy from that doesn't get you anywhere.

[Smirking_Saint]

18 minutes ago, coalman said:

I think the phrase about a stopped clock being right twice a day covers our transfer policy. When you buy enough players eventually you luck into a good one. Trying to derive a strategy from that doesn't get you anywhere.

I mean… its been absolutely awful all round but I do understand why we did what we did

Overall when you weigh it all up, the ‘established’ signings.. and they’re Onuachu, Cornet, Stewart, Sugawara, Groenback, Fraser

The list goes on have been horrific

Atleast with the likes of Lavia, Fernandes even Alcaraz etc we’ve profited 

[saintant]

This young striker currently at Saint Etienne in the French league looks decent. I'm sure Will Still will know him. There's a good article on him as one to watch and it states that his team play with a high press so should suit what will be our new style.

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Our younger buys have been our best one

I keep reading we should be buying established players instead of youngsters, but we’ve been shafted harder on the older heads tbh

There have been too many nowhere near good enough though.  At least players like Downes, Aribo and Ramsdale were good enough to go straight into the first team.  
What happened to the signings like Steve Davis, Wanyama, Van Dijk, Ings, Tadic, Lovren, Niemi - all who immediately improved the first XI.  
The balance has been completely wrong for a few years now.  The policy now seems to be buy, improve and sell.  It hasn’t worked and is why we have been so shit in the Premier League for a good while.  Even the gems we got good money for - Lavia and Livramento doesn’t make up for the shite that hasn’t worked.  Especially when we spunk their transfer money up the wall.

 

[bugenhagen]

12 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

There have been too many nowhere near good enough though.  At least players like Downes, Aribo and Ramsdale were good enough to go straight into the first team.  
What happened to the signings like Steve Davis, Wanyama, Van Dijk, Ings, Tadic, Lovren, Niemi - all who immediately improved the first XI.  
The balance has been completely wrong for a few years now.  The policy now seems to be buy, improve and sell.  It hasn’t worked and is why we have been so shit in the Premier League for a good while.  Even the gems we got good money for - Lavia and Livramento doesn’t make up for the shite that hasn’t worked.  Especially when we spunk their transfer money up the wall.

 

I agree.

And I hope that this is kinda what Spors was talking about when saying the following in the interview below:

"It’s always a very clear profiling first. It’s always important to identify as a club what you really need, not to be too reactive on market opportunities but the first thing is we need to understand what we really need.

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/premier-league/2024-2025/tyler-dibling-jurgen-klopp-football-new-manager-search-southampton-planning-relegation-johannes-spors_sto23183150/story.shtml

 

[Weston Super Saint]

51 minutes ago, bugenhagen said:

I agree.

And I hope that this is kinda what Spors was talking about when saying the following in the interview below:

"It’s always a very clear profiling first. It’s always important to identify as a club what you really need, not to be too reactive on market opportunities but the first thing is we need to understand what we really need.

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/premier-league/2024-2025/tyler-dibling-jurgen-klopp-football-new-manager-search-southampton-planning-relegation-johannes-spors_sto23183150/story.shtml

 

And, apparently, what we needed the most this transfer window was another defender!

[Ed Rooney]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

There have been too many nowhere near good enough though.  At least players like Downes, Aribo and Ramsdale were good enough to go straight into the first team.  
What happened to the signings like Steve Davis, Wanyama, Van Dijk, Ings, Tadic, Lovren, Niemi - all who immediately improved the first XI.  
The balance has been completely wrong for a few years now.  The policy now seems to be buy, improve and sell.  It hasn’t worked and is why we have been so shit in the Premier League for a good while.  Even the gems we got good money for - Lavia and Livramento doesn’t make up for the shite that hasn’t worked.  Especially when we spunk their transfer money up the wall.

 

Fuckin predictive text put Aribo in the sentence, always double check before clicking submit  

[Holmes_and_Watson]

11 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

And, apparently, what we needed the most this transfer window was another defender!

Not to panic. That's just the first one over the line. Deals for the three left backs they really wanted are close. 🙂

[HarvSFC]

We made two good signings last summer - Aaron Ramsdale. A seasoned and experienced pro from Arsenal and Mateus Fernandes. An up and coming gem from Sporting Lisbon.

So, there is talent to be found in either market. We just spent a lot of last summer recruiting crap and had a similar scattergun approach to the one that saw us relegated the first time.

Just have to hope the new recruitment team can identify the required talent.

[coalman]

5 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Not to panic. That's just the first one over the line. Deals for the three left backs they really wanted are close. 🙂

As long as we don't go signing any strikers by mistake...

[Holmes_and_Watson]

13 minutes ago, coalman said:

As long as we don't go signing any strikers by mistake...

As if. We're packed with top striking talent. Archer, AA, TP, BBD, Stewart, Sule when we're doing that 1 up counter formation. No room for strikers here! 🙂

[UpweySaint]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

There have been too many nowhere near good enough though.  At least players like Downes, Aribo and Ramsdale were good enough to go straight into the first team.  
What happened to the signings like Steve Davis, Wanyama, Van Dijk, Ings, Tadic, Lovren, Niemi - all who immediately improved the first XI.  
The balance has been completely wrong for a few years now.  The policy now seems to be buy, improve and sell.  It hasn’t worked and is why we have been so shit in the Premier League for a good while.  Even the gems we got good money for - Lavia and Livramento doesn’t make up for the shite that hasn’t worked.  Especially when we spunk their transfer money up the wall.

 

Fair point about the balance. Worth saying the market has left us behind to some extent. I dread to think what a lot of the players mentioned would cost now.

Investing/gambling on potential is a sound strategy for a club in our position but it only really works when those players are bedded in to an existing core of senior pros of a good standard.

I know he’s homegrown so misses the point a bit but take Dibling this year for example. He came in to the side and we ended up basically relying on him on a way that was unhealthy. Dibling playing off a Lamberts or a Pelle or even a prime Rodriquez is a different story. 
 

Easier said than done of course but from his talk it seems like Spors at least gets this.

[coalman]

15 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

As if. We're packed with top striking talent. Archer, AA, TP, BBD, Stewart, Sule when we're doing that 1 up counter formation. No room for strikers here! 🙂

Well played

[Badger]

10 minutes ago, UpweySaint said:

Fair point about the balance. Worth saying the market has left us behind to some extent. I dread to think what a lot of the players mentioned would cost now.

Investing/gambling on potential is a sound strategy for a club in our position but it only really works when those players are bedded in to an existing core of senior pros of a good standard.

I know he’s homegrown so misses the point a bit but take Dibling this year for example. He came in to the side and we ended up basically relying on him on a way that was unhealthy. Dibling playing off a Lamberts or a Pelle or even a prime Rodriquez is a different story. 
 

Easier said than done of course but from his talk it seems like Spors at least gets this.

Agree with most of this but if you look at how much Bournemouth have paid for Huisjen, Hungarian LB, Semenyo (Bristol City bloke), all have been at what we consider our safe level. 
 

As for bedding the players in to a better core team, absolutely spot on. This is Lawrie’s old heads and young legs policy. 

Williams wouldn’t have become the player he did, as soon as he did, without Alan Ball. Jimmy Case was a mentor for the next generation. 
 

 

[UpweySaint]

47 minutes ago, Badger said:

Agree with most of this but if you look at how much Bournemouth have paid for Huisjen, Hungarian LB, Semenyo (Bristol City bloke), all have been at what we consider our safe level. 
 

As for bedding the players in to a better core team, absolutely spot on. This is Lawrie’s old heads and young legs policy. 

Williams wouldn’t have become the player he did, as soon as he did, without Alan Ball. Jimmy Case was a mentor for the next generation. 
 

 

Shout. There is smart business to be done - Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford are all proof positive. Starting to think we should change our name to BSouthampton - foolproof…

Mentors/leaders of the right standard are so important. We haven’t had enough for a long time and it shows.

 

 

 

[macca155]

I'm not sure comparing the transfer window of 40 years ago, with today's money driven media drama is particularly valid.

In the 22/23 season all 3 promoted sides survived. I expect Leeds will give it a good go next year. So I don't buy into the everything is lost scenario.

What is needed is an intelligent focussed strategy.... and a lot of luck. Brentford showed that. Last year Saints had the exact opposite.

Feels like they are making a more positive start this time. However it's going to be more about who they can get rid of than buy. That squad is so bloated.

[CB Fry]

21 minutes ago, macca155 said:

I'm not sure comparing the transfer window of 40 years ago, with today's money driven media drama is particularly valid.

In the 22/23 season all 3 promoted sides survived. I expect Leeds will give it a good go next year. So I don't buy into the everything is lost scenario.

What is needed is an intelligent focussed strategy.... and a lot of luck. Brentford showed that. Last year Saints had the exact opposite.

Feels like they are making a more positive start this time. However it's going to be more about who they can get rid of than buy. That squad is so bloated.

We live in a world where Tottenham can finish one place above relegation and Man U can be down there all season but some can't conceive that Brentford or Forest or Fulham or Wolves could possibly finish 18th or 19th ever again, they are guaranteed Premier League teams forever and ever now because well because.

[Tommy Mulgrew]

5 hours ago, saintant said:

This young striker currently at Saint Etienne in the French league looks decent. I'm sure Will Still will know him. There's a good article on him as one to watch and it states that his team play with a high press so should suit what will be our new style.

Great: I shall look forward to us having a potent and silent astassin next season.

[sledger]

those middling teams like bournemouth,brentford ect will always have to sell there better players to bigger clubs and will have to recruit new players,when this goes wrong you struggle and are stuck with deadwood on loads of money that you cant sell,sound familiar.

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

Southampton Squad June 2025

I am posting this as a kind of mark in the sand of where we are now! 

With all the returning players and before anyone is sold or released who hasn't already been sold/released, I think this in effect is our current senior squad:

Goalkeepers: Ramsdale, Bazunu, McCarthy, Lumley, (Wright)

Defenders: Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda, Bella-Kotchap, Taylor, Welington, Manning, Larios, (Nico Lawrence)

Midfielders/wingers: Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Fraser, Sulemana, Dibling, Edozie, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Robinson, Lallana, Kuryu Matsuki

Forwards: Stewart, Archer, Onuachu, (Ballard)

• I have not included Amo-Ameyaw as he has effectively already been sold.
• I have included the players on loan to Goztepe as all of their contracts expire this summer. (Edit Juan is returning to Goztepe, so I have removed him)
• I have also included Lawrence as he is too old for the academy but still has a year to go on his contract and has previously been talked about as a future prospect.
• I have also tentatively added Ballard to the squad as a player who may be considered for the first team and still has a year to run on his contract.
• I have included Wright as he still has a year on his contract but is too old for the U21s.

It will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming weeks:

• Which players will be sold, released or loaned out? How much money will that bring in?
• Who else will be brought in?
• Will the Goztepe players stay there with renewed contracts or will we add them to our squad?
• Similarly, what will happen with Lawrence, Ballard, Edwards, Wright, Edwards, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Charles and Edozie following their loans this season?
• Will we replace Walker-Peters?
• Will we renew Lumley's contract?
• Will Lallana retire? Will he be given a coaching role?
• What will happen to Simon Rusk?
• Will Larios find a new club or will he now finally be able to get sufficient fitness to be able to push on? (Edited - I incorrectly thought his contract expires this summer)
• What will we do about players that we don't want but who we can't sell? Will we have to put up with Onuachu, etc. for another season if Will Still doesn't want to include them in his plans?
• Presumably we will have to announce our retained player list soon. The rest of the Championship clubs had to announce these a couple of weeks ago!

Edited Monday at 12:45 by SaintJackoInHurworth
Various amendments/updates made

[SfcPhil]

Larios has another two years on his five year deal. He looks to be back to full fitness now, having played 90, 120 and 90 minutes for the U21s in the last month. I guess we'll see how he does in pre season and make a decision on his future then.

[Saint Fan CaM]

7 hours ago, SaintJackoInHurworth said:

Southampton Squad June 2025

I am posting this as a kind of mark in the sand of where we are now! 

With all the returning players and before anyone is sold or released who hasn't already been sold/released, I think this in effect is our current senior squad:

Goalkeepers: Ramsdale, Bazunu, McCarthy, Lumley, (Wright)

Defenders: Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda, Bella-Kotchap, Taylor, Welington, Manning, Larios, (Nico Lawrence)

Midfielders/wingers: Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Fraser, Sulemana, Dibling, Edozie, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Robinson, Lallana, Kuryu Matsuki

Forwards: Stewart, Archer, Onuachu, (Ballard), Juan

• I have not included Amo-Ameyaw as he has effectively already been sold.
• I have included the players on loan to Goztepe as all of their contracts expire this summer.
• I have also included Lawrence as he is too old for the academy but still has a year to go on his contract and has previously been talked about as a future prospect.
• I have also tentatively added Ballard to the squad as a player who may be considered for the first team and still has a year to run on his contract.
• I have included Wright as he still has a year on his contract but is too old for the U21s.

It will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming weeks:

• Which players will be sold, released or loaned out? How much money will that bring in?
• Who else will be brought in?
• Will the Goztepe players stay there with renewed contracts or will we add them to our squad?
• Similarly, what will happen with Lawrence, Ballard, Edwards, Wright, Edwards, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Charles and Edozie following their loans this season?
• Will we replace Walker-Peters?
• Will we renew Lumley's contract?
• Will Lallana retire? Will he be given a coaching role?
• What will happen to Simon Rusk?
• Will Larios actually be able to find a new club now that his contract at Saints has ended? (I can't see why we would offer him a new contract!)
• What will we do about players that we don't want but who we can't sell? Will we have to put up with Onuachu, etc. for another season if Will Still doesn't want to include them in his plans?
• Presumably we will have to announce our retained player list soon. The rest of the Championship clubs had to announce these a couple of weeks ago!

Good post highlighting the awful mess of a squad we’ve got. I’m fearful of the number of players there that I don’t want to see in a Saints shirt again, but inevitably will be retained because time is against Still/Spors and there’ll be few suitors except for the better players. Let’s hope they started the process some time back!

[Doctoroncall]

25 players (ex U21 players) in a squad for the championship. That’s approximately six  players to go before considering any transfers in with KWP, Lallana and Lumley out of contract. 
 

I can’t see much being spent, unless Fernandes and Dibling go for big money. All about trimming the squad and ‘young, energetic players with great potential’ coming in like Quarshie. 

[Nolan]

1 hour ago, SfcPhil said:

Larios has another two years on his five year deal. He looks to be back to full fitness now, having played 90, 120 and 90 minutes for the U21s in the last month. I guess we'll see how he does in pre season and make a decision on his future then.

Juan Larios will still count as an U21 player for next season too, so there's more value in attempting to increase value during the year.

My preference would be to have Welington as first place LB, with Larios as backup for the season. Allow Taylor and Manning to leave. 

[Badger]

9 hours ago, SaintJackoInHurworth said:

Southampton Squad June 2025

I am posting this as a kind of mark in the sand of where we are now! 

With all the returning players and before anyone is sold or released who hasn't already been sold/released, I think this in effect is our current senior squad:

Goalkeepers: Ramsdale, Bazunu, McCarthy, Lumley, (Wright)

Defenders: Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda, Bella-Kotchap, Taylor, Welington, Manning, Larios, (Nico Lawrence)

Midfielders/wingers: Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Fraser, Sulemana, Dibling, Edozie, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Robinson, Lallana, Kuryu Matsuki

Forwards: Stewart, Archer, Onuachu, (Ballard), Juan

• I have not included Amo-Ameyaw as he has effectively already been sold.
• I have included the players on loan to Goztepe as all of their contracts expire this summer.
• I have also included Lawrence as he is too old for the academy but still has a year to go on his contract and has previously been talked about as a future prospect.
• I have also tentatively added Ballard to the squad as a player who may be considered for the first team and still has a year to run on his contract.
• I have included Wright as he still has a year on his contract but is too old for the U21s.

It will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming weeks:

• Which players will be sold, released or loaned out? How much money will that bring in?
• Who else will be brought in?
• Will the Goztepe players stay there with renewed contracts or will we add them to our squad?
• Similarly, what will happen with Lawrence, Ballard, Edwards, Wright, Edwards, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Charles and Edozie following their loans this season?
• Will we replace Walker-Peters?
• Will we renew Lumley's contract?
• Will Lallana retire? Will he be given a coaching role?
• What will happen to Simon Rusk?
• Will Larios actually be able to find a new club now that his contract at Saints has ended? (I can't see why we would offer him a new contract!)
• What will we do about players that we don't want but who we can't sell? Will we have to put up with Onuachu, etc. for another season if Will Still doesn't want to include them in his plans?
• Presumably we will have to announce our retained player list soon. The rest of the Championship clubs had to announce these a couple of weeks ago!

Some good research and time taken putting that together, thanks. 

(Depressing though seeing some of the names there)

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Seems Ramsdale not being considered to replace Flaaken at Brentford. 

[Convict Colony]

10 hours ago, SaintJackoInHurworth said:

Southampton Squad June 2025

I am posting this as a kind of mark in the sand of where we are now! 

With all the returning players and before anyone is sold or released who hasn't already been sold/released, I think this in effect is our current senior squad:

Goalkeepers: Ramsdale, Bazunu, McCarthy, Lumley, (Wright)

Defenders: Walker-Peters, Sugawara, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda, Bella-Kotchap, Taylor, Welington, Manning, Larios, (Nico Lawrence)

Midfielders/wingers: Downes, Charles, Smallbone, Aribo, Fernandes, Fraser, Sulemana, Dibling, Edozie, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Robinson, Lallana, Kuryu Matsuki

Forwards: Stewart, Archer, Onuachu, (Ballard), Juan

• I have not included Amo-Ameyaw as he has effectively already been sold.
• I have included the players on loan to Goztepe as all of their contracts expire this summer.
• I have also included Lawrence as he is too old for the academy but still has a year to go on his contract and has previously been talked about as a future prospect.
• I have also tentatively added Ballard to the squad as a player who may be considered for the first team and still has a year to run on his contract.
• I have included Wright as he still has a year on his contract but is too old for the U21s.

It will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming weeks:

• Which players will be sold, released or loaned out? How much money will that bring in?
• Who else will be brought in?
• Will the Goztepe players stay there with renewed contracts or will we add them to our squad?
• Similarly, what will happen with Lawrence, Ballard, Edwards, Wright, Edwards, Armstrong, Brereton-Diaz, Charles and Edozie following their loans this season?
• Will we replace Walker-Peters?
• Will we renew Lumley's contract?
• Will Lallana retire? Will he be given a coaching role?
• What will happen to Simon Rusk?
• Will Larios actually be able to find a new club now that his contract at Saints has ended? (I can't see why we would offer him a new contract!)
• What will we do about players that we don't want but who we can't sell? Will we have to put up with Onuachu, etc. for another season if Will Still doesn't want to include them in his plans?
• Presumably we will have to announce our retained player list soon. The rest of the Championship clubs had to announce these a couple of weeks ago!

I think its already been confirmed Juan is back to Gozteppe next season if you want to update the list

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 hour ago, Convict Colony said:

I think its already been confirmed Juan is back to Gozteppe next season if you want to update the list

I’ve no idea about the details of this guys contract, but if true that he’s staying at Goztepe what benefit does SFC get from him being on our books? Seems ludicrous but perhaps in the crazy World of SR there may be some sense.

[Nolan]

20 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

I’ve no idea about the details of this guys contract, but if true that he’s staying at Goztepe what benefit does SFC get from him being on our books? Seems ludicrous but perhaps in the crazy World of SR there may be some sense.

Eligibility for Work Permits.

Turkish top division is Band 2 for Work Permits 
Brazilian top division is Band 3 for Work Permits

essentially Goztepe is being used to help get promising international players to England, but Juan's Hamstring injury has limited his playing time, which means the amount of points to get to play in England has not been reached.

Note Matsuki will also be under this route.

Clubs can apply to bypass the 15 points rule for two players with exceptional status. Matsuki is currently in pole position for this due to his place in the Japanese international set-up  

NB: This is also the answer to "What do Southampton get out of the group model?"

Edited Monday at 11:50 by Nolan

[Chez]

45 minutes ago, Nolan said:

Eligibility for Work Permits.

Turkish top division is Band 2 for Work Permits 
Brazilian top division is Band 3 for Work Permits

essentially Goztepe is being used to help get promising international players to England, but Juan's Hamstring injury has limited his playing time, which means the amount of points to get to play in England has not been reached.

Note Matsuki will also be under this route.

Clubs can apply to bypass the 15 points rule for two players with exceptional status. Matsuki is currently in pole position for this due to his place in the Japanese international set-up  

NB: This is also the answer to "What do Southampton get out of the group model?"

Very useful post thanks. Not having seen him, I was wondering if Matsuki might be good enough to play next season and the fact he gets in the Japan national side perhaps suggest he is. Looking forward to seeing him.

[Charlie Wayman]

On 01/06/2025 at 12:54, Matthew Le God said:

 If we'd had someone competent spending that money it could have made a big difference.

 

[OldNick]

4 hours ago, Nolan said:

My preference would be to have Welington as first place LB, with Larios as backup for the season. Allow Taylor and Manning to leave. 

Manning is a very good Championship player.I expect him to stay

[Suhari]

29 minutes ago, Chez said:

Very useful post thanks. Not having seen him, I was wondering if Matsuki might be good enough to play next season and the fact he gets in the Japan national side perhaps suggest he is. Looking forward to seeing him.

Is it confirmed that Matsuki will be joining up with us next season?

[revolution saint]

30 minutes ago, Chez said:

Very useful post thanks. Not having seen him, I was wondering if Matsuki might be good enough to play next season and the fact he gets in the Japan national side perhaps suggest he is. Looking forward to seeing him.

Think Matsuki has played for all the under age groups but not the full national side. 

[CSA96]

15 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Manning is a very good Championship player.I expect him to stay

I've got no issue with Manning staying either, I haven't seen anything to suggest Welington is any better really. If the new coach wants full backs who get up and cross then Manning will suit him

[Wade Garrett]

Welington can defend against a winger.  Manning can’t.  That’s the difference.

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 hours ago, CSA96 said:

I've got no issue with Manning staying either, I haven't seen anything to suggest Welington is any better really. If the new coach wants full backs who get up and cross then Manning will suit him

Manning might be able to get forward, although typically he doesn’t because he’s programmed to stop and pass backwards. Not only that he’s so slow getting back that the defence is severely compromised as a result. When he does manage to get back invariably he stands off his man allowing a cross. He’s nowhere near the quality required and not a patch on Welington.

[Saint Fan CaM]

3 hours ago, Nolan said:

Eligibility for Work Permits.

Turkish top division is Band 2 for Work Permits 
Brazilian top division is Band 3 for Work Permits

essentially Goztepe is being used to help get promising international players to England, but Juan's Hamstring injury has limited his playing time, which means the amount of points to get to play in England has not been reached.

Note Matsuki will also be under this route.

Clubs can apply to bypass the 15 points rule for two players with exceptional status. Matsuki is currently in pole position for this due to his place in the Japanese international set-up  

NB: This is also the answer to "What do Southampton get out of the group model?"

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation. However, it does nothing to really explain what SFC will get from the deal. Assuming we get promoted at the end of next season, will this guy be any closer to a return to Saints? I doubt it, so it brings the benefit into question in my eyes. I’m sure we’ll return to this subject next summer and we’ll see if he gets to play for us.

[Farmer Saint]

6 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation. However, it does nothing to really explain what SFC will get from the deal. Assuming we get promoted at the end of next season, will this guy be any closer to a return to Saints? I doubt it, so it brings the benefit into question in my eyes. I’m sure we’ll return to this subject next summer and we’ll see if he gets to play for us.

He's also in the shop window for bigger teams. Not really sure how you fail to see what Saints could get from the deal?

[Dan Johnson]

16 hours ago, SaintJackoInHurworth said:

Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Bednarek, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda, Bella-Kotchap

You'd have to assume from the signing of Quarshie that we'll be selling at least 2, probably 3 CBs this summer.

I'd assume that would be Bella-Kotchap and Bednarek (because of the £6m release clause)

I'd like us to try and keep Harwood-Bellis but of course he's the most likely 3rd leaving us with 

Wood-Gordon, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda

[Willo of Whiteley]

Manning has arguably been one of our better players this season.

[Football Special]

9 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

You'd have to assume from the signing of Quarshie that we'll be selling at least 2, probably 3 CBs this summer.

I'd assume that would be Bella-Kotchap and Bednarek (because of the £6m release clause)

I'd like us to try and keep Harwood-Bellis but of course he's the most likely 3rd leaving us with 

Wood-Gordon, Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Kayi-Sanda

Has Nathan Wood always been part of the double barrel club or is this a recent addition to his name? 

[Nolan]

30 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation. However, it does nothing to really explain what SFC will get from the deal. Assuming we get promoted at the end of next season, will this guy be any closer to a return to Saints? I doubt it, so it brings the benefit into question in my eyes. I’m sure we’ll return to this subject next summer and we’ll see if he gets to play for us.

Put it this way, there could be an argument that Southampton spot talent,  but too early.

Look at Alcaraz and Danso who remain in the Premier League while we don't. 

Now with a good club model we both open pathways for players who might not get pathways to English, or place on loan players who may be attracted by Southampton but not necessarily Göztepe or Valenciennes. 

Imagine the Bristol youth model, but now stationed in France and Turkey, and getting players from world wide. 

It could go spectacularly wrong, or spectacularly right, but the bigger pool of players we can fish in, the better

 

Edited Monday at 16:04 by Nolan