Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[gio1saints]

49 minutes ago, benjii said:

Why on earth would we sell Downes for 10m?

Just a hunch he might go and the figure is a guess-estimate - but is anybody really paying what we paid for him nowadays anyway? Seriously?  I think RM would love to have him. I want him to stay but it’s a hunch. It is the transfer speculation thread right? 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, gio1saints said:

Just a hunch he might go and the figure is a guess-estimate - but is anybody really paying what we paid for him nowadays anyway? Seriously?  I think RM would love to have him. I want him to stay but it’s a hunch. It is the transfer speculation thread right? 

why would we even entertain selling him?

[benjii]

1 minute ago, gio1saints said:

Just a hunch he might go and the figure is a guess-estimate - but is anybody really paying what we paid for him nowadays anyway? Seriously?  I think RM would love to have him. I want him to stay but it’s a hunch. It is the transfer speculation thread right? 

Not really. It's to discuss transfer news and rumours not weird hypotheticals where we decide to sell a good Championship player at a massive loss, and that player is desperate to take a big pay cut.

[gio1saints]

26 minutes ago, Badger said:

With the limited CF options we’ve got I was hoping Stewart might stay put.

 

(meaning at the club if fit and available, rather than in the treatment room).

Agreed. But I think he is going to be on the bench this year a lot. He and Saints might be better off him getting games. Don’t want him gone but just being pragmatic. Then again he is a direct replacement if DD fails or gets injured I guess. 

[benjii]

The way I see it, we should have Armstrong and Archer competing for a place and Stewart and Downs competing for a place.

That said, I could see the logic in a short term loan for Stewart to somewhere he should be a guaranteed starter. Eastleigh perhaps!

[gio1saints]

Just now, benjii said:

Not really. It's to discuss transfer news and rumours not weird hypotheticals where we decide to sell a good Championship player at a massive loss, and that player is desperate to take a big pay cut.

Ok have it your way. He’s been linked with Rangers can’t see it happening. Happy now? 

[Willo of Whiteley]

We aren’t going to sell Downes for half the fee that we paid a year ago for him, but then again the board have done stupider things in their time.

[gio1saints]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

why would we even entertain selling him?

We shouldn’t.
BUT if Flynn wants a chance of a medal and European football and does not find the thought of another slog in the Championship all that appealing AND Rangers pay him well ( which they probably cannot) and can afford him ( which they probably cannot) then it’s a possible. Plus this niggle he’s got at a funny time. Probably nothing but I do have a flag raised in my mind on him. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

I don’t live and breathe football like when I was a teenager but a quick Google says nothing of Downes wanting to leave, Dibling wanting to leave, Fernandes wanting to leave.

Just casual links.

Most of it is lazy journalism. One account tweets so several other accounts jump on the bandwagon; and by that point everyone loses their minds and panics. 😂

[Farmer Saint]

9 hours ago, Streaky said:

So Fernandes and dibling sold. Who do we get in to replace the massive hole left?

Shame, but assume we got a decent wedge for them?

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

It's amazing how often a player falls ill just before he departs. 

It's to ensure he doesn't get injured rather than anything else like negotiating a contract etc.

We haven't accepted any offers yet so if it happens, it still won't be soon.

Edited 3 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[LegalEagle]

19 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Ok have it your way. He’s been linked with Rangers can’t see it happening. Happy now? 

No he hasn’t. That’s a lie. Jackanory boy.

[Farmer Saint]

11 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I don’t live and breathe football like when I was a teenager but a quick Google says nothing of Downes wanting to leave, Dibling wanting to leave, Fernandes wanting to leave.

Just casual links.

Most of it is lazy journalism. One account tweets so several other accounts jump on the bandwagon; and by that point everyone loses their minds and panics. 😂

Apparently we have turned down bids from Everton, but they won't pay what we want for Dibling. I still maintain that he will stay.

Fernandes will go, but for a fat old wedge because so many teams want him. It is also the danger of having Mendes managed players. If you don't sell him when he wants them sold then he won't allow you to sign any of his players in the future. Agents hold too much power etc etc.

[Farmer Saint]

26 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

We shouldn’t.
BUT if Flynn wants a chance of a medal and European football and does not find the thought of another slog in the Championship all that appealing AND Rangers pay him well ( which they probably cannot) and can afford him ( which they probably cannot) then it’s a possible. Plus this niggle he’s got at a funny time. Probably nothing but I do have a flag raised in my mind on him. 

We won't sell Downes for £10m. I don't rate him particularly, I've repeated that I think he's a system player, and that he is not good enough for the PL, but we won't let him go for that much. Just won't happen.

Edited 3 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[tdmickey3]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

My ridiculous view

FlynnDownes is a very good championship MF but could be a star in Scotland - I think he’s going to leave for £10m if Rangers can find the pennies that is. 

 

🤣

[Willo of Whiteley]

I think one of Dibling and Fernandes will stay, and Fernandes is more valuable cash-wise so I think he’ll be the one to leave.

A year in the Championship will be good for Dibling, who hasn’t pulled up trees significantly, just one of the best of a bad bunch last season. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a Saints player in mid-September.

[CB Fry]

29 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

We shouldn’t.
BUT if Flynn wants a chance of a medal and European football and does not find the thought of another slog in the Championship all that appealing AND Rangers pay him well ( which they probably cannot) and can afford him ( which they probably cannot) then it’s a possible. Plus this niggle he’s got at a funny time. Probably nothing but I do have a flag raised in my mind on him. 

A post like this only makes sense if you assume it is written not by a supporter of Southampton Football Club but as a fan of Russell Martin. Someone who just wants things that Russell Martin would want or imagines scenerios that are positive for Russell Martin. Trying to manifest/justify Flynn joining Rangers with the only beneficiary being Russell because Flynn is taking a paycut and downgrading his standard of football. Saints lose money. But, of course, Russell wins.

You only appeared on here when Martin started and it remains that everything you post is from a Russell Martin perspective.

Honestly, you could just join a Rangers forum.

[Football Special]

10 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I think one of Dibling and Fernandes will stay, and Fernandes is more valuable cash-wise so I think he’ll be the one to leave.

A year in the Championship will be good for Dibling, who hasn’t pulled up trees significantly, just one of the best of a bad bunch last season. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a Saints player in mid-September.

But Fernandes has a longer contract whereas Dibling situation not signing new deal I think we'll sell 

[Chez]

41 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

It's to ensure he doesn't get injured rather than anything else like negotiating a contract etc.

We haven't accepted any offers yet so if it happens, it still won't be soon.

Sure, but not necessarily something the owning club has decided to do. Sometimes, and I know this for a fact, players are advised to stay at home, use a bollocks 'illness' excuse in order to put pressure on the club to sell. It's an unofficial down tools. Both parties know the score. 

[spyinthesky]

I have it on fairly good authority that the club would prefer that Fernandes stays and would accept a decent offer for Dibling to provide funds for new players.
However Fernandes and his advisors want him to move on to bigger and better things, which is a shame.

[Smirking_Saint]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

We shouldn’t.
BUT if Flynn wants a chance of a medal and European football and does not find the thought of another slog in the Championship all that appealing AND Rangers pay him well ( which they probably cannot) and can afford him ( which they probably cannot) then it’s a possible. Plus this niggle he’s got at a funny time. Probably nothing but I do have a flag raised in my mind on him. 

Ahh ok

So if all of the unlikely things happen then I guess in your world of make believe it might happen

I guess I have a shot at bumping into a naked Sydney Sweeney in the Winchester PureGym sauna that they havn’t built yet

[Weston Super Saint]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

Ok have it your way. He’s been linked with Rangers can’t see it happening. Happy now? 

Has this "link" come from you?

Not sure that really counts as a link.

[Chez]

57 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I don’t live and breathe football like when I was a teenager but a quick Google says nothing of Downes wanting to leave, Dibling wanting to leave, Fernandes wanting to leave.

Just casual links.

Most of it is lazy journalism. One account tweets so several other accounts jump on the bandwagon; and by that point everyone loses their minds and panics. 😂

Just because there are no quotes on Google doesn't mean players haven't expressed their desire to leave. 

[Gloucester Saint]

57 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

We won't sell Downes for £10m. I don't rate him particularly, I've repeated that I think he's a system player, and that he is not good enough for the PL, but we won't let him go for that much. Just won't happen.

I think he could be a Jack Cork type of player in the PL with better players around him but yes, in essence, why would the club take a loss of £8m on a proven top player for the division they are currently in? Rangers can’t afford the wages let alone the fee and Martin probably won’t be there that long. Plus, haven't Flynn and his partner had their first child? Not optimum for uprooting. 

[Toussaint]

28 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

I have it on fairly good authority that the club would prefer that Fernandes stays and would accept a decent offer for Dibling to provide funds for new players.
However Fernandes and his advisors want him to move on to bigger and better things, which is a shame.

It’s a shame for us, but not for him, he is clearly a rising star, he owes us nothing. He’s one of a very small number of players who’s head never dropped during the abomination that was last season. We (SR) failed him.

[Toussaint]

20 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think he could be a Jack Cork type of player in the PL with better players around him but yes, in essence, why would the club take a loss of £8m on a proven top player for the division they are currently in? Rangers can’t afford the wages let alone the fee and Martin probably won’t be there that long. Plus, haven't Flynn and his partner had their first child? Not optimum for uprooting. 

I think he’s more Harrison Reed than Jack Cork. Serviceable but unremarkable,  with a questionable attitude. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Toussaint

[Willo of Whiteley]

20 minutes ago, Chez said:

Just because there are no quotes on Google doesn't mean players haven't expressed their desire to leave. 

But then where are some of these people on here’s proof of a player wanting to leave 🤷🏻‍♂️

There are players that want to leave, Will Still alluded to that; my point is no one on here knows who those players are 😂

[SWLondon Saint]

28 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

I have it on fairly good authority that the club would prefer that Fernandes stays and would accept a decent offer for Dibling to provide funds for new players.
However Fernandes and his advisors want him to move on to bigger and better things, which is a shame.

Very believable on both fronts. I reckon the problem with Fernandes is that while the agents would probably be happy with him moving to a bigger club for £25 million or so, there's actually not that many clubs who can even afford that *and* would want to spend it on him, *and* we don't want to lose him at all, let alone at that price. Most likely way out is a loan to a glamour club like Alcaraz to Juve, which also had a very high buy option if I remember right?

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, SWLondon Saint said:

Very believable on both fronts. I reckon the problem with Fernandes is that while the agents would probably be happy with him moving to a bigger club for £25 million or so, there's actually not that many clubs who can even afford that *and* would want to spend it on him, *and* we don't want to lose him at all, let alone at that price. Most likely way out is a loan to a glamour club like Alcaraz to Juve, which also had a very high buy option if I remember right?

£25m would be ridiculously cheap for a player with his talent, number of clubs interested and the length of contract left. Double it and you'd be closer to his value.

[Chez]

14 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

Very believable on both fronts. I reckon the problem with Fernandes is that while the agents would probably be happy with him moving to a bigger club for £25 million or so, there's actually not that many clubs who can even afford that *and* would want to spend it on him, *and* we don't want to lose him at all, let alone at that price. Most likely way out is a loan to a glamour club like Alcaraz to Juve, which also had a very high buy option if I remember right?

Aye? I think all 12 rumoured to be interested clubs can afford £25m. The problem for them is we are not selling him for that amount. 

He wont be loaned out. Not a chance. 

Buy options are pointless. 

[miserableoldgit]

Probably me being dim, always a liklihood, but an item appeared on FB saying that we were attempting to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp after signing his team-mate Victor Udoh in February. Did this one pass me by? Can't see him in the squad list.

[CSA96]

Will Still on Aribo: “There's been interest around Joe. I've just tried to give him a bit of headspace, a bit of breathing space to do the right things. We'll just see how that develops over the next few days”

[CSA96]

3 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Probably me being dim, always a liklihood, but an item appeared on FB saying that we were attempting to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp after signing his team-mate Victor Udoh in February. Did this one pass me by? Can't see him in the squad list.

Udoh’s been playing in the 21s group 

[S-Clarke]

4 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Probably me being dim, always a liklihood, but an item appeared on FB saying that we were attempting to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp after signing his team-mate Victor Udoh in February. Did this one pass me by? Can't see him in the squad list.

Victor Udoh joined the U21's, don't believe he's been involved in any first team squads. Probably will end up at Gozepte.

The link to Balikwisha was fairly quickly shut down too, I saw that rumour but straight away another came out saying we have zero interest. Who knows! Silly season is upon us.

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Will Still on Aribo: “There's been interest around Joe. I've just tried to give him a bit of headspace, a bit of breathing space to do the right things. We'll just see how that develops over the next few days”

Expected and probably the right move for all. Not sure he's the right sort of player for a high intensity team in any way.

With Edozie, Aribo and likley Fernandes all offski....we are going to get some exciting new additions in the attacking areas!

[SWLondon Saint]

27 minutes ago, Chez said:

Aye? I think all 12 rumoured to be interested clubs can afford £25m. The problem for them is we are not selling him for that amount. 

He wont be loaned out. Not a chance. 

Buy options are pointless. 

They *can* afford it, but they won't - for the £40m + we want, most European clubs would want a Dani Olmo level proven player. I agree completely we should be looking for that amount though as he's worth it to us. I honestly hope we keep him as I think he's the kind of model pro who will just knuckle down and give 100% anyway like he did in last season's farce. It's just recent experience tells us that when agents are stirring the shit, clubs like ours rarely get what we want. He'd probably be better off playing week in and out for us than sitting on the bench somewhere bigger anyway.

[Willo of Whiteley]

6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Expected and probably the right move for all. Not sure he's the right sort of player for a high intensity team in any way.

With Edozie, Aribo and likley Fernandes all offski....we are going to get some exciting new additions in the attacking areas!

That’s optimistic, I’ll believe it when I see it

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

That’s optimistic, I’ll believe it when I see it

What part, the losing of them or replacing?

Seriously if we lose those 3 and don't replace, we'll finish below Top 10 - guaranteed. It'll be a mimic of our season in 2005/2006, and Still will be made the fall guy for an inadequate squad.

Genuinely the club aren't that daft though - they can't lose the amount of attacking depth we had (which wasn't even great, let's be fair) and blindly go into the season without replacing. It would be negligent on levels we 'eve never seen before.

[miserableoldgit]

17 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Udoh’s been playing in the 21s group 

 

17 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Udoh’s been playing in the 21s group 

Aha! Thank you.

[Smirking_Saint]

12 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

They *can* afford it, but they won't - for the £40m + we want, most European clubs would want a Dani Olmo level proven player. I agree completely we should be looking for that amount though as he's worth it to us. I honestly hope we keep him as I think he's the kind of model pro who will just knuckle down and give 100% anyway like he did in last season's farce. It's just recent experience tells us that when agents are stirring the shit, clubs like ours rarely get what we want. He'd probably be better off playing week in and out for us than sitting on the bench somewhere bigger anyway.

40m doesn’t usually get you a Dani Olmo level player these days at all

40m Is a fairly standard price for an average prem player really, we just unfortunately can’t afford to shop in those circles anymore

[SWLondon Saint]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Genuinely the club aren't that daft though - they can't lose the amount of attacking depth we had (which wasn't even great, let's be fair) and blindly go into the season without replacing. It would be negligent on levels we 'eve never seen before.

Hoping you're right on this as agreed completely - at least Still has already publicly said we need more attacking help so he's not going let them make a mug of him hopefully.

Other 'bright side' thing to remember is as I said before, every decent AM in Europe will be hanging on till the last minute hoping to get a Champs League club then Europa League, top league and only after they've had their hopes dashed do they come to us!

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Smirking_Saint said:

40m doesn’t usually get you a Dani Olmo level player these days at all

40m Is a fairly standard price for an average prem player really, we just unfortunately can’t afford to shop in those circles anymore

I think £35-40m is a standard price these days, yep. If clubs aren't prepared to go there then they're not paying the going rate. It's the standard going rate for PL players really, and having PL experience adds another £5-10m to that price. Because we never shopped there is why we're now where we are. We spent lots, but on lots of sub £20m - which just bloats the squad, with maybe 1 or 2 gems in and amongst. 

[Toussaint]

5 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

Hoping you're right on this as agreed completely - at least Still has already publicly said we need more attacking help so he's not going let them make a mug of him hopefully.

Other 'bright side' thing to remember is as I said before, every decent AM in Europe will be hanging on till the last minute hoping to get a Champs League club then Europa League, top league and only after they've had their hopes dashed do they come to us!

Aspiring to play champions league football and ending up at championship  Saints, I’d say that having your hopes “dashed” is tincy wincy bit of an understatement! 

[Kenilworthy59]

17 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

What part, the losing of them or replacing?

Seriously if we lose those 3 and don't replace, we'll finish below Top 10 - guaranteed. It'll be a mimic of our season in 2005/2006, and Still will be made the fall guy for an inadequate squad.

Genuinely the club aren't that daft though - they can't lose the amount of attacking depth we had (which wasn't even great, let's be fair) and blindly go into the season without replacing. It would be negligent on levels we 'eve never seen before.

We will still finish in the play-offs. Bristol City, a team of nothing players, managed it last season

[Chez]

19 minutes ago, SWLondon Saint said:

They *can* afford it, but they won't - for the £40m + we want, most European clubs would want a Dani Olmo level proven player. I agree completely we should be looking for that amount though as he's worth it to us. I honestly hope we keep him as I think he's the kind of model pro who will just knuckle down and give 100% anyway like he did in last season's farce. It's just recent experience tells us that when agents are stirring the shit, clubs like ours rarely get what we want. He'd probably be better off playing week in and out for us than sitting on the bench somewhere bigger anyway.

OK, but originally you didn't say that. You said "those interested can't afford £25m." 

I disagree. He would be better off playing in the PL. Plenty of sides there will help his career along nicely. Many better than we will.

His agent isn't "stirring the shit". Why do agents always get blamed? His agent is doing his job, which is to get the best deal possible for his client. And that deal is not going to be with a championship side. When players depart, it's not because of agents, it because the player can do better elsewhere. The only way you keep players is to give them a better deal here than they can elsewhere...and that means more money and also a progressing club moving forward, quickly. When that momentum goes, the stars depart.

 

 

[Willo of Whiteley]

I think the difficulty is we lurch from one set of transfers/style of play/signings every window.

Summer of 2022 - sign all children from top six academies and throw them straight into the first team

January 2023 - target man for route one football, but sack the manager six weeks later

Summer 2023 and January 2024 - Probably the only time where it felt like good transfer windows in recent years. British players suited to a style of play for a British manager. A core home-grown backbone with a blend of top flight, Championship and international experience (Brooks, Fraser, Manning etc).

Summer 2024 - a bit more bargain hunting, either that was because of Wilcox’s departure or financial reasons.

January 2025 - non existent, damage was done. But who sanctioned Groenbak?!? Bizarre.

Summer 2025 - so far Downs and Quashie, young and inexperienced in the UK. Are we going down the young route again?

When you break it down you could actually see in the Russell Martin era there were some consistencies, especially the Championship season, you could see how we’d play and how these players would fit in.

Now it just feels chaotic. 
I’ll reserve judgement until the end of the window but for a club that is supposedly in a decent finical position surely it makes more sense to get players in sooner than later and start building the squad?

[Chez]

29 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Expected and probably the right move for all. Not sure he's the right sort of player for a high intensity team in any way.

With Edozie, Aribo and likley Fernandes all offski....we are going to get some exciting new additions in the attacking areas!

that's the nice bit of losing Fernandes and Dibling - hopefully we sign someone like Spertsyan and they turn out to be amazing.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

 

Now it just feels chaotic. 
 

We have signed two young players. Is that chaos?

[ally_uk]

If we get rid of Downes get Les back in on loan... 

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

We have signed two young players. Is that chaos?

My point is SR have been chaotic. 

A lot of the talk months ago was about being prepared going into the season, and whereas I think we have a decent Championship squad, this is going to be very competitive.

There will be fourteen or fifteen teams going for promotion. Saints and Ipswich should be attractive propositions for players; I would’ve expected the club to get business done sooner than later.

We’re going into next week with a mixed team, still fragmented from last season. 
I just hoped more would’ve been done by now to prepare us for what you’d think would be a promotion-chasing season.