Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[goodymatt]

Not sure how legit this is, but if Brooks was available I would welcome him back with open arms. Especially during a summer window, so he’s not cup tied 😉

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, ErwinK1961 said:

You mean the 5th round FA Cup game where our reserves played their reserves, which as SkintSaint points out we should have been winning in the first half?

Just find it interesting that this lad, whose done next to nothing since landing in Austria, would be a good signing in your eyes, yet links to others from overseas is just our recruitment team being “clever bollocks”

It’s just my opinion.  If you don’t like it, no problem.  

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, davefizzy14 said:

 

I've not seen any links to this guy, this is the first one. I've always thought he's out of our range, and even after that post...I'm probably still inclined to believe he's out of our range.

He's being talked about at upwards of £15-20m, clearly a really good player but destined for better than us. 

The club already have Bree and Suguwara at RB, so we don't have a gap to fill as it stands. (which feels weird to say as we've just lost KWP).

I'd hope Suguwara will be top at Championship level.

[CB Fry]

He's called The Transfer Guru so he simply must know the ins and outs of all transfers in English football. 

[skintsaint]

Can't see any mention of us here..

[Weston Super Saint]

11 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

He's called The Transfer Guru so he simply must know the ins and outs of all transfers in English football. 

Seems legit.  No reason not to trust a 'Guru'.

[Weston Super Saint]

3 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Can't see any mention of us here..

Did you not get as far as the bottom paragraph - we're mentioned there  

[Miltonaggro]

43 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Not sure how legit this is, but if Brooks was available I would welcome him back with open arms. Especially during a summer window, so he’s not cup tied 😉

Agree. Class act Brooks.

[Miltonaggro]

17 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

He's called The Transfer Guru so he simply must know the ins and outs of all transfers in English football. 

Or at the very least, his own orifices...

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, saint michael said:

Are we looking at players that will take us up or are these transfer connections the quality to play in prem if we get up?

This is a really good question. Last time, did we think Downes and THB were going to be the lynchpins in the premier league? I think the powers that be were definitely expecting more from them in the premier league. This time around, the signing and rumours are around relatively young players again. Maybe we are simply looking for players to get us in to the premier league and once in, we will buy the experience.

 

[Nolan]

Just now, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

This is a really good question. Last time, did we think Downes and THB were going to be the lynchpins in the premier league? I think the powers that be were definitely expecting more from them in the premier league. This time around, the signing and rumours are around relatively young players again. Maybe we are simply looking for players to get us in to the premier league and once in, we will buy the experience.

 

Solak's interviews with Blackmore and House suggested it was a mistake to leave us in a position where we had to spend so much money to stand still (IE buying players that had been on loan) 

But I think the fact is we're looking to find players that gel well with Still's needs.

 

[Zorba]

51 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Not sure how legit this is, but if Brooks was available I would welcome him back with open arms. Especially during a summer window, so he’s not cup tied 😉

I thought he was pretty crap for us.

[SambaMaverick]

4 minutes ago, Zorba said:

I thought he was pretty crap for us.

Ditto, he's a bit of a luxury player. Would have been washed away with the tide along with the rest of our side in the Prem.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Just now, SambaMaverick said:

Ditto, he's a bit of a luxury player. Would have been washed away with the tide along with the rest of our side in the Prem.

Seriously? 

[SambaMaverick]

1 minute ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Seriously? 

What?

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

Ditto, he's a bit of a luxury player. Would have been washed away with the tide along with the rest of our side in the Prem.

He played in 29 Premier League games for a very good Bournemouth team last season. Do you think he washed away with the tide?

[SambaMaverick]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He played in 29 Premier League games for a very good Bournemouth team last season. Do you think he washed away with the tide?

He was playing in a very aggressive, very front-footed side who happen to be very good - luxury players often do, with others picking up the slack. I'm not saying he's a totally awful player, but I don't think he would be any use in a relegation scrap.

He only started in nine of those games by the way, and he played under 1000 minutes. So...

Edited 15 hours ago by SambaMaverick

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

What?

You think Brooks would have been washed away with us? Welsh international who by all accounts had a very good season with Bournemouth just gone. Yeah, he wouldn't have improved us at all. Still, we had the likes of Onuachu and Sulemana to lift us to those heights. What do you class Dibling as? He's more of a so called luxury player than Brooks.

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, SambaMaverick said:

 I don't think he would be any use in a relegation scrap.

We weren't in a relegation scrap last season. We barely showed signs of life! 😉

[Zorba]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He played in 29 Premier League games for a very good Bournemouth team last season. Do you think he washed away with the tide?

Chipping in with a massive 2 goals and 0 assists.

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, Lee On Solent Saint said:

You think Brooks would have been washed away with us? Welsh international who by all accounts had a very good season with Bournemouth just gone. Yeah, he wouldn't have improved us at all. Still, we had the likes of Onuachu and Sulemana to lift us to those heights. What do you class Dibling as? He's more of a so called luxury player than Brooks.

Yes, Dibling is a luxury player.

Welsh international is like being a World Cup of Bowls winner, utterly pointless to highlight that. He played less than 1000 Premier League minutes.

I just don't think he would've/will added/add anything, that's my opinion. Everything we've heard about Still suggests he wants physicality, pace, power etc.

[goodymatt]

Brooks is a mad signing for WBA, he has PL quality. I’d rather have him than Edozie, Sulemana and Fraser.

We maybe didn’t see the best of him due to Martin’s slower style. He was also on the return to full fitness post illness, having not played much for Bournemouth since then.

[Zorba]

2 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Brooks is a mad signing for WBA, he has PL quality. I’d rather have him than Edozie, Sulemana and Fraser.

We maybe didn’t see the best of him due to Martin’s slower style. He was also on the return to full fitness post illness, having not played much for Bournemouth since then.

They’re all Championship quality at best.

[LeBizzier69]

Didn’t Brooks look awesome on his debut for us and then do bugger all most of the time after that? 

[revolution saint]

I didn't dislike Brooks and he seems like a good lad but, based on his performances for us and given the chance I probably wouldn't sign him.  I'm guessing Fellows must definitely be off if Brooks is coming in.

[coalman]

1 minute ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Didn’t Brooks look awesome on his debut for us and then do bugger all most of the time after that? 

It was a bit beyond his debut. He started the first few matches well but by the time he was subbed off injured in the playoff final I remember being quite relieved as he'd fully bought into the Martin style of taking stupid risks in stupid areas and didn't seem all that keen on tackling back after he'd given the ball away.

[ErwinK1961]

14 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

He was playing in a very aggressive, very front-footed side who happen to be very good - luxury players often do, with others picking up the slack. I'm not saying he's a totally awful player, but I don't think he would be any use in a relegation scrap.

He only started in nine of those games by the way, and he played under 1000 minutes. So...

Didn’t know Nathan Jones was Bournemouth manager

[Weston Super Saint]

5 minutes ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Didn’t Brooks look awesome on his debut for us and then do bugger all most of the time after that? 

That's because he was cup tied. No one can perform with that hanging round their neck.

[Fabrice29]

4 minutes ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Didn’t Brooks look awesome on his debut for us and then do bugger all most of the time after that? 

No. Only Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong delivered more assists than Brooks for us that season. He played 1029 minutes. Only Sulemana, McCarthy, Mara, Rothwell, Holgate, Tella, JWP, Sam Amo, Stewart and Dibling played less than him. 

The idea that he was doing bugger all is nuts. As is the idea of signing a "luxury" player being a bad thing.

 

[MarkSFC]

6 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

I didn't dislike Brooks and he seems like a good lad but, based on his performances for us and given the chance I probably wouldn't sign him.  I'm guessing Fellows must definitely be off if Brooks is coming in.

Fellows = the attacking midfielder we are after??

[Badger]

Just now, MarkSFC said:

Fellows = the attacking midfielder we are after??

Would like to think so, although probably a bit too ambitious as he's linked with Premiership clubs. 

[LeBizzier69]

2 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

No. Only Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong delivered more assists than Brooks for us that season. He played 1029 minutes. Only Sulemana, McCarthy, Mara, Rothwell, Holgate, Tella, JWP, Sam Amo, Stewart and Dibling played less than him. 

The idea that he was doing bugger all is nuts. As is the idea of signing a "luxury" player being a bad thing.

 

Fair enough. Certainly don’t recall the fact he was returning from his loan spell as a nightmare and the fan base up in arms. 
Looked good in parts last season I thought but was anyone gutted he wasn’t staying on when we went up? 

[SambaMaverick]

1 minute ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Fair enough. Certainly don’t recall the fact he was returning from his loan spell as a nightmare and the fan base up in arms. 
Looked good in parts last season I thought but was anyone gutted he wasn’t staying on when we went up? 

Everyone was probably thinking 'let's sign someone better', which they promptly didn't do

[Appy]

1 minute ago, LeBizzier69 said:

Fair enough. Certainly don’t recall the fact he was returning from his loan spell as a nightmare and the fan base up in arms. 
Looked good in parts last season I thought but was anyone gutted he wasn’t staying on when we went up? 

Bournemouth made it pretty clear he wouldn’t be joining us permanently when he signed, so no one was going to be upset he didn’t return. 

[coalman]

11 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

No. Only Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong delivered more assists than Brooks for us that season. He played 1029 minutes. Only Sulemana, McCarthy, Mara, Rothwell, Holgate, Tella, JWP, Sam Amo, Stewart and Dibling played less than him. 

The idea that he was doing bugger all is nuts. As is the idea of signing a "luxury" player being a bad thing.

 

Picking a single stat doesn't tell the whole story.
 

From https://fbref.com/en/squads/33c895d4/2023-2024/Southampton-Stats - he got 5 assists and 2 goals from 895 minutes.

Compare to Sam Edozie (6 goals and 3 assists from 1364 minutes) or Ryan Fraser (6 goals and 2 assists from 1633 minutes) which seems comparable to those two players. Then compare to Sulemana (0 goals and 3 assists from 950 minutes) and you have to pray that Atalanta's medical team are busy rubber stamping his transfer right now.

Edited 15 hours ago by coalman

[Zorba]

7 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

No. Only Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong delivered more assists than Brooks for us that season. He played 1029 minutes. Only Sulemana, McCarthy, Mara, Rothwell, Holgate, Tella, JWP, Sam Amo, Stewart and Dibling played less than him. 

The idea that he was doing bugger all is nuts. As is the idea of signing a "luxury" player being a bad thing.

 

He was nowhere near AA that season and SA was knackered. I could have got 6 assists in that league with AA in front of me.

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, coalman said:

Picking a single stat doesn't tell the whole story.

He got 5 assists and 2 goals from 895 minutes.

Compare to Sam Edozie (6 goals and 3 assists from 1364 minutes) or Ryan Fraser (6 goals and 2 assists from 1633 minutes) which seems comparable to those two players. Then compare to Sulemana (0 goals and 3 assists from 950 minutes) and you have to pray that Atalanta's medical team are busy rubber stamping his transfer right now.

It just tells me all of our recent wingers have been gash, which we know. 

Edozie and Sulemana have five-plus years on Brooks as well, although his stunted development is not entirely his fault with the illness etc

[revolution saint]

10 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

Fellows = the attacking midfielder we are after??

Probably not although I wouldn't mind him in.  I got the impression that the early deals Solak was talking about would be mostly at the cheaper end and easy deals to do.  Fellows (or anyone else linked with premier league moves) is going to wait as long as they possibly can to see if a deal comes up.  If it doesn't then that's when they go to a championship club.

[coalman]

2 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

It just tells me all of our recent wingers have been gash, which we know. 

Edozie and Sulemana have five-plus years on Brooks as well, although his stunted development is not entirely his fault with the illness etc

I dunno - I thought Edozie was coming into his own before getting taken out by Norwich. By the time he'd recovered we'd brought in Brooks and Rothwell and he was reduced to a bit part player.

[LeBizzier69]

6 minutes ago, Appy said:

Bournemouth made it pretty clear he wouldn’t be joining us permanently when he signed, so no one was going to be upset he didn’t return. 

So if we had a top player on loan who was incredible, but we all knew it was just a loan, no one would be upset that they didn’t/couldn’t/wouldn’t stay on? 
 

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, coalman said:

I dunno - I thought Edozie was coming into his own before getting taken out by Norwich. By the time he'd recovered we'd brought in Brooks and Rothwell and he was reduced to a bit part player.

For me, I'd have a bit more patience if he'd cost us nish and came from the academy.

To cost £10m as a first team player and deliver what he has, it's disappointing. Not his fault though I guess.

Looking forward to seeing how he's come on next season

[Zorba]

1 minute ago, coalman said:

I dunno - I thought Edozie was coming into his own before getting taken out by Norwich. By the time he'd recovered we'd brought in Brooks and Rothwell and he was reduced to a bit part player.

We missed a trick with Edozie. If we’d got the groundsman to put another 10 yards of grass down at each end if the pitch, I reckon we could have been on to a winner!

[Lee On Solent Saint]

27 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

Yes, Dibling is a luxury player.

Welsh international is like being a World Cup of Bowls winner, utterly pointless to highlight that. He played less than 1000 Premier League minutes.

I just don't think he would've/will added/add anything, that's my opinion. Everything we've heard about Still suggests he wants physicality, pace, power etc.

Much as I dislike Wales, they aren't some third rate minor country on the international stage anymore. Recently pushed Belgium all the way in a WCQ. I think Brooks would have been a great signing for us this season, but I seriously doubt he;s going to end up in the Championship again, certainly not for West Brom anyway. 

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

For me, I'd have a bit more patience if he'd cost us nish and came from the academy.

To cost £10m as a first team player and deliver what he has, it's disappointing. Not his fault though I guess.

Looking forward to seeing how he's come on next season

Wasn't he about 7 million? 

[Lighthouse]

7 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Wasn't he about 7 million? 

 I vaguely remember it being about £10-12m for him and Larios, combined, on deadline day, so sounds about right. Adjusted for transfer inflation he was probably cheaper than Mayuka as a bit of a punt, so hardly a financial disaster.

If it came to it, we could comfortably make our money back on him IMO.

[HarvSFC]

Get Brooks and he can do another job on Ramsdale, get him to give us another season. 😉

[Fabrice29]

43 minutes ago, Zorba said:

He was nowhere near AA that season and SA was knackered. I could have got 6 assists in that league with AA in front of me.

Course you could have mate, thats why nobody else did. 

 

[Fabrice29]

48 minutes ago, coalman said:

Picking a single stat doesn't tell the whole story.
 

From https://fbref.com/en/squads/33c895d4/2023-2024/Southampton-Stats - he got 5 assists and 2 goals from 895 minutes.

Compare to Sam Edozie (6 goals and 3 assists from 1364 minutes) or Ryan Fraser (6 goals and 2 assists from 1633 minutes) which seems comparable to those two players. Then compare to Sulemana (0 goals and 3 assists from 950 minutes) and you have to pray that Atalanta's medical team are busy rubber stamping his transfer right now.

I'm not sure what you're trying to point out here but all it does is prove he was pretty good for us that season once he came and minus the two Armstrongs, Adams and maybe Smallbone, he was probably our most productive player given his minutes (could also throw in Alcaraz too given CA played more and produced less). And yeah, Sulemana has been garbage but weirdly still considered as a mis managed talent on here.

[coalman]

14 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I'm not sure what you're trying to point out here but all it does is prove he was pretty good for us that season once he came and minus the two Armstrongs, Adams and maybe Smallbone, he was probably our most productive player given his minutes (could also throw in Alcaraz too given CA played more and produced less). And yeah, Sulemana has been garbage but weirdly still considered as a mis managed talent on here.

He was on a par with the wingers we had (who didn't wind up doing much in our Premier League campaign) so you can't say he was awful in terms of contributions but he wasn't standout either.

I do remember him (and Rothwell) giving the ball away a lot though.

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

No. Only Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong delivered more assists than Brooks for us that season. He played 1029 minutes. Only Sulemana, McCarthy, Mara, Rothwell, Holgate, Tella, JWP, Sam Amo, Stewart and Dibling played less than him. 

The idea that he was doing bugger all is nuts. As is the idea of signing a "luxury" player being a bad thing.

 

So two players (who the forum has pretty much all agreed are not good enough for the premier league) doing better than him for us that season, is now an argument that he wouldn't have then been washed away with the rest of the team in the premier league is it? He wasn't an exceptional / stand out player for us, we largely stood still last summer as it is, we'd have certainly stood still had we signed brooks, and the past season was embarrassingly poor - we need to be signing players who at least have the potential to be starting players in midtable prem squads -and also, who would he have replaced in the starting 11? Fernandes? Dibling?

Less than 1000minues for a mid table bournemouth side is just further evidence that we need to do better than him. The naysayers are correct on this one.

Edited 14 hours ago by Saint86