Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[Chez]

On 15/05/2025 at 10:16, leesaint88 said:

Yep - certainly could see him in Italy. Pretty sure there was some talk of Roma in the past wanting him. 

Chelsea wanted £30m for him (I think that was the price agreed with Everton should they want him). Everton are not spending that. He's hardly played for them. Calvert Lewin also looks likely to depart, but these guys are too famous to not get interest from abroad. Bamford strikes me as being more likely, are perhaps exactly what we need...except the fact he's always injured.

[BERMUDASAINT]

https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/aston-villa/transfers-aston-villa-kaine-kesler-hayden-preston-southampton-west-brom-5131943

[Chez]

8 minutes ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/aston-villa/transfers-aston-villa-kaine-kesler-hayden-preston-southampton-west-brom-5131943

Seeing as he won Preston's player of the year in the championship, I would imagine he'd fancy a go at the PL perhaps with one of the promoted clubs? You'd think there would be some interest at that level. If not, would be a good option for us, as Sugawara has been fucking shit so far. Also, if you want KWP mark II, then he's your man, as he's aonther skilful full back that can get out of tight spaces/keep possession. 

Some clips here, all be it from 2022

 

[CSA96]

From the Sky Sports website:

Saints interested in CL right-back

Latest from Sky Sports News' Anthony Joseph:

Southampton are interested in Sturm Graz right-back Max Johnston. 

It’s understood that Saints have been watching the Scotland international very closely in the last couple of months. 

Several clubs from the Premier League, Championship and across Europe are monitoring Johnston’s situation, after impressive performances this season in the Champions League and Austrian Bundesliga. 

The 21-year-old has two years left on his contract with Sturm Graz and he is on the brink of winning a second successive league title with the club, since joining from Motherwell in July 2023. Sky Sports News understands Sturm Graz value the player at around £3m. 

Atalanta, Augsburg and Hamburg are among the interested clubs across Europe. 

Johnston has one goal and six assists this season and made his Scotland senior debut in March.

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Chez said:

Seeing as he won Preston's player of the year in the championship, I would imagine he'd fancy a go at the PL perhaps with one of the promoted clubs? You'd think there would be some interest at that level. If not, would be a good option for us, as Sugawara has been fucking shit so far. Also, if you want KWP mark II, then he's your man, as he's aonther skilful full back that can get out of tight spaces/keep possession. 

Some clips here, all be it from 2022

 

That’s all very well and good, but can he do it on a wet Wednesday night in Preston?

[Saint Fan CaM]

19 hours ago, CSA96 said:

Southampton are interested in Sturm Graz right-back Max Johnston. 

Sky Sports News understands Sturm Graz value the player at around £3m.

That’ll be an offer of £200k and 12 bubble gum cards going in from SR then. 😉

[CB Fry]

Keep those young, highly rated fullbacks coming lads 😍🤩😍🤩

[miserableoldgit]

Have we got anyone that we can honestly sell for £50M? How the mighty are fallen...

Real Madrid have signed defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in time to play in the Club World Cup after the Spanish giants activated his £50m release clause.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

That’ll be an offer of £200k and 12 bubble gum cards going in from SR then. 😉

Hopefully none of the rare bubblegum cards! Can't get carried away too early in the window. Everyone selling a fullback to us will expect them. 🙂

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Hopefully none of the rare bubblegum cards! Can't get carried away too early in the window. Everyone selling a fullback to us will expect them. 🙂

Rumour has it that the last of the rare cards went on Sulemana’s transfer and the remainder are looking a bit dog-eared and used! 😉🤭

[Weston Super Saint]

13 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Rumour has it that the last of the rare cards went on Sulemana’s transfer and the remainder are looking a bit dog-eared and used! 😉🤭

The collection has been growing by the day though since the appointment of our hipster video analysts so won't be long before we stumble on another rare one.

[tdmickey3]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Have we got anyone that we can honestly sell for £50M? How the mighty are fallen...

Real Madrid have signed defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in time to play in the Club World Cup after the Spanish giants activated his £50m release clause.

Manning 😉

[sockeye]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Have we got anyone that we can honestly sell for £50M? How the mighty are fallen...

Real Madrid have signed defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in time to play in the Club World Cup after the Spanish giants activated his £50m release clause.

If Dibling's early-season form persisted he would be worth about that.

[skintsaint]

4 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Have we got anyone that we can honestly sell for £50M? How the mighty are fallen...

Real Madrid have signed defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in time to play in the Club World Cup after the Spanish giants activated his £50m release clause.

They are at the stage we were at getting their best players poached. Be interesting to see if they invest it as badly as we did.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

15 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

They are at the stage we were at getting their best players poached. Be interesting to see if they invest it as badly as we did.

We could offer them nearly all our squad on the off chance they would. 🙂

[lambtiss]

22 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

They are at the stage we were at getting their best players poached. Be interesting to see if they invest it as badly as we did.

Could anyone?

[miserableoldgit]

7 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

We could offer them nearly all our squad on the off chance they would. 🙂

We wouldn't get £50M for our complete squad.....

[miserableoldgit]

24 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

They are at the stage we were at getting their best players poached. Be interesting to see if they invest it as badly as we did.

I could be wrong, but the way that their player-trading has gone previously, that £50M will probably be invested wisely....

[Chez]

3 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

I could be wrong, but the way that their player-trading has gone previously, that £50M will probably be invested wisely....

Sold Solanke for £65m, and lost Kelly on a free to Newcastle last summer, bought Evanilson for £35m and Huijsen for £12m. I think you might be right.

[Spoonman]

Fair play, never thought I’d see a day when Bournemouth are doing £50M deals with Real

[skintsaint]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

Sold Solanke for £65m, and lost Kelly on a free to Newcastle last summer, bought Evanilson for £35m and Huijsen for £12m. I think you might be right.

Not a great example..replaced a striker with another who got half the goals. The slippery slope has started for them.

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, Spoonman said:

Fair play, never thought I’d see a day when Bournemouth are doing £50M deals with Real

Likewise. Pretty amazing rise by them. Madrid don't sign many players from the PL either. And you have to go back to Laurie Cunningham from West Brom in 1979 for a signing from a `small club'. 

[Chez]

13 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

Not a great example..replaced a striker with another who got half the goals. The slippery slope has started for them.

Fair point. But 10 in 28 is not too bad in his first season. Solanke didn't score many in his first few seasons with them. I fancy he will score a few next season if we stays free of injury. The Heijsen signing using the money was a pretty decent upgrade too. Lets see if they can find another to fill that gap.

Edited 17 May, 2025 by Chez

[hypochondriac]

11 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Not a great example..replaced a striker with another who got half the goals. The slippery slope has started for them.

Think I agree with you. They haven't even got European football to show for it either yet. You can't keep pulling rabbits out of hats indefinitely. All you need is two or three duds in a row and you're sunk. 

[Harry_SFC]

Fernandes pretty much confirmed (without actually confirming) in the post match interview that he won't be here next season.

Guess it was inevitable. 

[Fabrice29]

28 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Fernandes pretty much confirmed (without actually confirming) in the post match interview that he won't be here next season.

Guess it was inevitable. 

Interview I heard on Solent he was talking about hoping to win more games with us next season. Not that I'm expecting him to be here next season but it was far from confirming he wouldn't be around. What interview did you hear?

[Harry_SFC]

Just now, Fabrice29 said:

Interview I heard on Solent he was talking about hoping to win more games with us next season. Not that I'm expecting him to be here next season but it was far from confirming he wouldn't be around. What interview did you hear?

The same one, to me he said "I hope you" then corrected himself and said "we" 

[Fabrice29]

3 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

The same one, to me he said "I hope you" then corrected himself and said "we" 

Aaah, okay. Yeah, can see what you mean. Not convinced it's not just a 2nd language thing as he's pretty adament before "we need to be better" but yeah one for people to judge for themselves I think  and then inevitable he'll go anyway.

Southampton FC - Mateus Fernandes: 'I miss the feeling of victory' - BBC Sounds

[Matthew Le God]

2 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

Fernandes pretty much confirmed (without actually confirming) in the post match interview that he won't be here next season.

Guess it was inevitable. 

 

2 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

The same one, to me he said "I hope you" then corrected himself and said "we" 

Lots of people make mistakes and correct themselves when using a 2nd language. 

[waylander]

Ben Mee leaving Brentford  CDAJFU

[sandwichsaint]

49 minutes ago, waylander said:

Ben Mee leaving Brentford  CDAJFU

Looks like the clubshop gonna need plenty of lower case 'e's.

 Sell Kyle Walker Peters and that problem is easily solved.

[Patrick Bateman]

7 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

Aaah, okay. Yeah, can see what you mean. Not convinced it's not just a 2nd language thing as he's pretty adament before "we need to be better" but yeah one for people to judge for themselves I think  and then inevitable he'll go anyway.

Southampton FC - Mateus Fernandes: 'I miss the feeling of victory' - BBC Sounds

I more picked up on the fact that he thought training wasn't very good ... "we can train better". I think we've all known that.

[gio1saints]

I think get a manager with a pulse, steal Sainz and Sargeant and get Shea back we are top six certainties. 
 

NB. Some people say that the mark of a genius is spotting the obvious before everybody else. I could not possibly comment. 😂

Edited 19 May, 2025 by gio1saints

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

I think get a manager with a pulse, steal Sainz and Sargeant and get Shea back we are top six certainties. 
 

NB. Some people say that the mark of a genius is spotting the obvious before everybody else. I could not possibly comment. 😂

Johansson 

Johnston Mee Edwards Wellington 

Charles Lowe 

Doak (loan) Sainz

Azaz 

Kone/Sargent 

Sell Ramsdale 20 million, Dibling 30 million, THB 25 million, Downes 15 million, Fernandes 25 million, BBD 5 million, Onuachu 3 million, Sugawara 4 million, Bednarek 4 million, Sulemana 5 million Archer 7 million Call it 140 million. 

 

Johansson - Stoke 7 million 

Johnston- Sturm Graz- 5 million 

Mee- Free agent

Lowe- Sheffield Wednesday - 4 million 

Doak- Liverpool- 3 million loan fee 

Sainz - Norwich- 12 million 

Azaz- Middlesborough- 15 million  

Kone- Wycombe- 2 million 

Sargent- Norwich- 15 million 

Total: 63 million 

 

Keep Armstrong, Bree, Bazunu, Wood, Manning, maybe Smallbone, Stephens and Stewart for the squad. 

Bin KWP, Lallana, Lumley, Fraser

We might need another attacking option and definitely another AM but that team would be playoffs minimum and possibly more. Also has the advantage of having almost nothing to do with the losers from this year. 

Edited 19 May, 2025 by hypochondriac

[OldNick]

I notice that Ings has gone to Watford!

[saintant]

13 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I more picked up on the fact that he thought training wasn't very good ... "we can train better". I think we've all known that.

This tells us a lot. A young player who trained every week with the first team squad recognises that it could have been better. Quite a damning indictment of the managers and coaching staff and something that comes as no real surprise.

[richardc]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Johansson 

Johnston Mee Edwards Wellington 

Charles Lowe 

Doak (loan) Sainz

Azaz 

Kone/Sargent 

Sell Ramsdale 20 million, Dibling 30 million, THB 25 million, Downes 15 million, Fernandes 25 million, BBD 5 million, Onuachu 3 million, Sugawara 4 million, Bednarek 4 million, Sulemana 5 million Archer 7 million Call it 140 million. 

 

Johansson - Stoke 7 million 

Johnston- Sturm Graz- 5 million 

Mee- Free agent

Lowe- Sheffield Wednesday - 4 million 

Doak- Liverpool- 3 million loan fee 

Sainz - Norwich- 12 million 

Azaz- Middlesborough- 15 million  

Kone- Wycombe- 2 million 

Sargent- Norwich- 15 million 

Total: 63 million 

 

Keep Armstrong, Bree, Bazunu, Wood, Manning, maybe Smallbone, Stephens and Stewart for the squad. 

Bin KWP, Lallana, Lumley, Fraser

We might need another attacking option and definitely another AM but that team would be playoffs minimum and possibly more. Also has the advantage of having almost nothing to do with the losers from this year. 

I dont know much about those players, so out of interest - how do you think they would do if we get promoted

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, richardc said:

I dont know much about those players, so out of interest - how do you think they would do if we get promoted

Honestly? Probably not an awful lot better than this season. I just don't think we can get players in that would be successes in the prem. Players like kone are young and so could develop into a top player. Johnston has European pedigree and I'd be confident he could do well, same with Charles and possible Edwards. Azaz has been class this year for Middlesborough but he's not better than Fernandes and Sargent would be a squad player in the prem. If we went up we'd probably need about 7 new starters with possibly 

Johnston 

Doak if Liverpool sell 

Sainz 

And maybe Azaz making the step up. 

[Charlie Wayman]

When is the clear out list released?

No doubt all those players we never again want to see in a Saints shirt will be retained!

[Lighthouse]

16 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

When is the clear out list released?

No doubt all those players we never again want to see in a Saints shirt will be retained!

I'm not sure what you're really expecting to see. The only first team players out of contract next month are our fourth choice keeper, Lallana, whose body we may donate to medical science, and KWP who's definitely off.

[Appy]

4 hours ago, OldNick said:

I notice that Ings has gone to Watford!

Has he?

[Matthew Le God]

44 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

When is the clear out list released?

No doubt all those players we never again want to see in a Saints shirt will be retained!

It is not a mass clear out list. It is only a list of those out of contract who aren't staying. In terms of first team players, only Lallana, Walker-Peters and Lumley have their contracts ending on 30th June as things stand.

[Gloucester Saint]

31 minutes ago, Appy said:

Has he?

No idea if it’s a reliable source https://www.facebook.com/red.way.526/posts/️-excl-watfordfc-have-completed-deal-to-sign-32-year-old-striker-danny-ings-foll/1082763080576928/

If true, it would stop all of the posters in here who will be banging on about re-signing him. Nothing on the Watford forums though which is odd.

Edited 19 May, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[Saint Fan CaM]

18 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I'm not sure what you're really expecting to see. The only first team players out of contract next month are our fourth choice keeper, Lallana, whose body we may donate to medical science, and KWP who's definitely off.

Reportedly there will be relegation clauses in players contracts, so I wonder how many players will consider they are better than the prospect of losing money? As you say, KWP (and Big Les) are off anyway with Lallana retiring, but then Ramsdale, Dibling and Bednarek are likely to push for moves - possibly even Downes and Stephens. Theres the likes of Fraser, Taylor and ABK who will be pushing for moves given they’ve not featured in the slightest. Then there will be players with contracts that the club will make it clear are not in their plans - hopefully Manning, Wood and Aribo for example. Significant changes hopefully to break up this awful legacy of a squad.

[Lighthouse]

Just now, Saint Fan CaM said:

Reportedly there will be relegation clauses in players contracts, so I wonder how many players will consider they are better than the prospect of losing money? As you say, KWP (and Big Les) are off anyway with Lallana retiring, but then Ramsdale, Dibling and Bednarek are likely to push for moves - possibly even Downes and Stephens. Theres the likes of Fraser, Taylor and ABK who will be pushing for moves given they’ve not featured in the slightest. Then there will be players with contracts that the club will make it clear are not in their plans - hopefully Manning, Wood and Aribo for example. Significant changes hopefully to break up this awful legacy of a squad.

Cool story, but all those players are under contract and have naff all to do with the released list.

[Appy]

13 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

It is not a mass clear out list. It is only a list of those out of contract who aren't staying. In terms of first team players, only Lallana, Walker-Peters and Lumley have their contracts ending on 30th June as things stand.

So what Lighthouse said two posts up above yours?

Edited 19 May, 2025 by Appy

[Saint Fan CaM]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

Cool story, but all those players are under contract and have naff all to do with the released list.

Obviously not, but I was answering your question of what would be nice to see and yes, it would be cool, although somewhat unlikely.

[Gloucester Saint]

21 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

It is not a mass clear out list. It is only a list of those out of contract who aren't staying. In terms of first team players, only Lallana, Walker-Peters and Lumley have their contracts ending on 30th June as things stand.

Technically correct In the sense we’ve not that many ooc, but plenty with a year or two left that will be on their way. Bazanu and Larios on heavily subsidised loans to League 1/League 2 and Spanish lower leagues respectively. Can’t see Gavin coming back for his final year unless he suddenly looks like an actual keeper and gets in that division’s team of the season. 

As Stewart is finally and staggeringly getting fitter (credit to him), might as well keep him around for the final year to be a David Connolly. Taylor or Manning will be on their bike on loan as they can’t both be competition to Wellington. Aribo and Bednarek will be off fairly early in the window (esp given the latter’s £6m release fee), probably Onachu as well. They’ll be a fair turnover already before the few desirable assets under contract - Fernandes, Ramsdale, Dibling and possibly THB (despite a shit season) - are moving on for the bigger fees. 

And Will Still shouldn’t be lumbered with problems and SR vanity projects like Bazanu, Larios, a million other left backs and some of the strikers who clearly don’t want to be at the club. Wrexham for example might fancy BBD and probably match what he’s on here if we keep the fee modest. Maybe AA if their owners push the boat out. At least give the bloke a bit of a cleaner slate to work with. Even if it means some very targeted writing off on wages and book values in places, SR needs to do it. 

Edited 19 May, 2025 by Gloucester Saint

[Gloucester Saint]

53 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Lallana, whose body we may donate to medical science

Add in Stewart, Larios, and the University Medical and Sports Science Faculties are well in business. A few research grants from those three.

[Willo of Whiteley]

3 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

It is not a mass clear out list. It is only a list of those out of contract who aren't staying. In terms of first team players, only Lallana, Walker-Peters and Lumley have their contracts ending on 30th June as things stand.

Shame