Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[bangkoksaint]

I think if we lose TD and MF, don’t replace them, then follow that up with a loss to Wrexham it’ll literally melt this forum!!!

[davefizzy14]

5 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Richard Kone - Wycombe

Are you itk? 

[macca155]

If Saints have squeezed £40 million out of Everton, then well done. His contract position made the job harder.

He remains a terrific prospect, but definitely work in progress. 

That money will probably do more for Saints at this point, than he would.

Fair bit of panic buying going on at the moment it seems. The loan market will start moving soon, I'm sure Saints will be all over that.

[revolution saint]

12 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Richard Kone - Wycombe

I can imagine we may have looked at him earlier but decided to go with Downs instead.  Can't see it happening now.

[Smirking_Saint]

49 minutes ago, Rebel said:

that kind of implies we would buy before we sold - if not why would you bother saying it?

Or did he just mean even without selling anyone they know we need add 3 players in those key positions - which makes it more understandable that some supporters are worried that we are selling Fernandes and Dibling (and Edozie not to mention Sulemana) making ourselves weaker in that creative/attacking position.

Maybe they have decided that Matsuki and Robinson have shown enough in pre-season that we are covered already.

As you say I would guess we are working on signing an attacking/creative player (Zeneli, Rudoni or someone like that) - but until its signed and sealed I would always be a bit worried with our track record of not signing the players we need.

Dragan Solak on transfer buisness: “Johannes has three positions in which he told us we need to buy immediately. We gave him this approval and the budget to buy these before we need to sell anything.. He's now working on a striker that he wants no matter what, that should come before we sell anybody, and we are working on a creative midfielder.”

Above are direct quotes, so no, nowhere does he say they’ll come in before we sell, it literally just says budget is there immediately 

So like I said, everyones getting worked up about made up situations in their heads

Apologies for turning into prime MLG around this

[Weston Super Saint]

41 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

I think if we lose TD and MF, don’t replace them, then follow that up with a loss to Wrexham it’ll literally melt this forum!!!

I think there'll be a meltdown if we lose to Wrexham whether they're sold or not.

If we are serious about promotion, we shouldn't be thinking of anything other than 3 points against them.

[Chez]

2 hours ago, CSA96 said:

 

With the third - the creative player - maybe they turned us down, maybe they are yet to move and are weighing up their options, maybe the move is on the cards and is just protracted or a knock-on to another move

 

or maybe it was, as reported, Spertsyan turning us down as he wanted to see if a top flight club would sign him. Maybe that move isn't completely dead, but is only going to happen in the last week of the window.

[Give it to Ron]

Big Les going to Burnley with Broja looks like

[Chez]

50 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

I think if we lose TD and MF, don’t replace them, then follow that up with a loss to Wrexham it’ll literally melt this forum!!!

I am trying to remember what this board was like after we lost away at Luton (second game after drawing the first 0-0) with bagpuss spending just £90k on a skate with dodgy knees.

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Big Les going to Burnley with Broja looks like

did they not watch him stroll around failing to run a game all season with us? 

[Farmer Saint]

6 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Big Les going to Burnley with Broja looks like

I'd be very disappointed if that was us.

[Chez]

24 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Dragan Solak on transfer buisness: “Johannes has three positions in which he told us we need to buy immediately. We gave him this approval and the budget to buy these before we need to sell anything.. He's now working on a striker that he wants no matter what, that should come before we sell anybody, and we are working on a creative midfielder.”

Above are direct quotes, so no, nowhere does he say they’ll come in before we sell, it literally just says budget is there immediately 

So like I said, everyones getting worked up about made up situations in their heads

Apologies for turning into prime MLG around this

Out of interest, do you know when that was said. I was just wondering if it was before or after the Spertsyan report?

[Give it to Ron]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

did they not watch him stroll around failing to run a game all season with us? 

Probably but his goal at West Ham gave me one of only happy away game moments last year!

[beatlesaint]

55 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Fair bit of panic buying going on at the moment it seems. The loan market will start moving soon, I'm sure Saints will be all over that.

I thought the DOF guy or Dragan said the loan market wasn’t the way to go after having to buy TBH and Downes just to stand still from the last promotion ?

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

5 minutes ago, Chez said:

Out of interest, do you know when that was said. I was just wondering if it was before or after the Spertsyan report?

Middle of June I think https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0ljyj8k

[Chez]

`

5 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Probably but his goal at West Ham gave me one of only happy away game moments last year!

I was not at that game or Millwall away the previous season, so the virtues of Les and Fraser (scorers of vita and less vital late goals) never rubbed off on me. Bets of luck to him and Burnley.  

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, Chez said:

Out of interest, do you know when that was said. I was just wondering if it was before or after the Spertsyan report?

It was about the middle of June. 

[Chez]

6 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I thought the DOF guy or Dragan said the loan market wasn’t the way to go after having to buy TBH and Downes just to stand still from the last promotion ?

Would be good to know the exact wording to determine if they are totally discounting it or there is still a possibility of a loan or two. if you can buy a player for £6m that can get you promoted and then play at the higher level too, great. But unless you have top quality players, we won't get promoted, and pretty much every successful side over the last decade has loaned in players to help them go up.

[Chez]

8 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Middle of June I think https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0ljyj8k

I think the Spertsyan bid was the start of July. It was reported as being, maybe around the 12th. That's a while after, but highly likely to be the `creative' player mentioned. My guess is he will join us in the last week of the window.

[Give it to Ron]

9 minutes ago, Chez said:

`

I was not at that game or Millwall away the previous season, so the virtues of Les and Fraser (scorers of vita and less vital late goals) never rubbed off on me. Bets of luck to him and Burnley.  

I was plus the one at Brum by Aribo which was mental in our end. 
Good luck at Burnley he will need it’s going to be tough

Edited 3 hours ago by Give it to Ron

[Holmes_and_Watson]

24 minutes ago, Chez said:

or maybe it was, as reported, Spertsyan turning us down as he wanted to see if a top flight club would sign him. Maybe that move isn't completely dead, but is only going to happen in the last week of the window.

The way I read the quotes was simply that we can get in players for 3 positions they've identified as key, without having to sell.

Players could be sold, as deals arose, but they weren't necessary.

They got in 2 of the 3 and, as you said, I think the 3rd turned us down. At least this time, SR have got plenty of time to get someone else, and don't have egg on their face.

If they get their first choice later on, then fine. But they should know not to hang around until the last week.

[Green]

26 minutes ago, Chez said:

I am trying to remember what this board was like after we lost away at Luton (second game after drawing the first 0-0) with bagpuss spending just £90k on a skate with dodgy knees.

Remember the away end singing "we're only here for a season," when we took the lead against Luton.

 

Can't recall us ever really troubling the promotion spots that season. Were we ever in the playoff picture?

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

If they get their first choice later on, then fine. But they should know not to hang around until the last week.

they will have been looking at other creative options, but its all about getting the best for a price they can afford. They are making four year investments in these guys. If you have to wait until the last week to do that, so be it. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Just now, Chez said:

they will have been looking at other creative options, but its all about getting the best for a price they can afford. They are making four year investments in these guys. If you have to wait until the last week to do that, so be it. 

My post started optimistically, but took a took a turn for the worst as I typed. 🙂

[santolijador]

1 hour ago, Badger said:

Thought he was going to Swansea

Think that move isn't happening in the end - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cp94yvx2vg3o

interesting timing 👀

edit: further research looks like Leicester are the favourites now? He liked a post on social media and some accounts on twitter seem to think he is going there.

Edited 3 hours ago by santolijador
further info

[Chez]

5 minutes ago, Green said:

Remember the away end singing "we're only here for a season," when we took the lead against Luton.

 

Can't recall us ever really troubling the promotion spots that season. Were we ever in the playoff picture?

I was at Luton but don't remember much. Hot sweaty night. Not a lot of fun seeing us throw the game away. 

Nope. We were on our way to relegation at one point. We were 20th, only 7 points above 22nd with 6 games left. We beat Brighton and that effectively made us safe. A Richard Chaplow goal (on loan) as I recall. Hard to see from that way end. I forgot he had two spells with us...

[Smirking_Saint]

7 minutes ago, santolijador said:

Think that move isn't happening in the end - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cp94yvx2vg3o

interesting timing 👀

edit: further research looks like Leicester are the favourites now? He liked a post on social media and some accounts on twitter seem to think he is going there.

Everyone writing Leicester off but they could end up being king makers this year and depending on the deduction could still be there or there abouts if they hit the ground running 

[Chez]

1 minute ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Everyone writing Leicester off but they could end up being king makers this year and depending on the deduction could still be there or there abouts if they hit the ground running 

They still have a front three of Fatawu Daka Mavididi. I'd of thought they would be there or there abouts.

[S-Clarke]

15 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Everyone writing Leicester off but they could end up being king makers this year and depending on the deduction could still be there or there abouts if they hit the ground running 

Even from a standing start, if we kept our team intact from last year, ditto them....they were still a whole 10+ points better than us in the PL last season. There was already a gulf there, and that was without the sales going on this year. Equally Ipswich were a whole 10 points clear of us too. Honestly, you just cannot underestimate how disgusting we were last season.

We have to really pull off an incredible last few weeks to be in the convo for Top 2.

Edited 2 hours ago by S-Clarke

[HnycS]

Yes that is it Gold Cup involvement meant he was late for pre-season. Suspect we may see him build fitness with longer match participation, no point spending him out for 90 and getting a muscle pull that puts him out until Xmas.

[Lighthouse]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

We have to really pull off an incredible last few weeks to be in the convo for Top 2.

I wouldn't say that. We need a couple of decent attacking midfielders but I think we've got a pretty decent Championship squad. There will be a few teams in the mix but I can't see why we wouldn't be one of them.

[HnycS]

7 hours ago, Saint86 said:

Of all of our talented younger players - surely lallana will have been in Tyler's ear and told him to do a year excelling in the championship - it was the making of lallana.

Quite possibly, but unless he signs a new contract would be financial suicide for the club. Maybe the compromise is for him to sign an extension, but wages with a 40% reduction might be an issue, tricky to make an exception for one player.

[S-Clarke]

20 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I wouldn't say that. We need a couple of decent attacking midfielders but I think we've got a pretty decent Championship squad. There will be a few teams in the mix but I can't see why we wouldn't be one of them.

I do think people overestimate some of our players, especially when you put us up against a Leicester or an Ipswich (in current guise).

Downes, Charles, THB, Edwards, Archer, Armstrong, I'll give you as a good basis of a talented Championship team who are proven and hardened at this level (there's a lot more to it than names on the paper though) Beyond that cohort I'm really not sure we have much beyond mid-table at best. Suguwara needs to show a lot to prove that he's capable, Downs and Quarshie are still really unproven. Stewart hasn't played regular football for 3 years, and BBD does not fit our team. (imo)

So to be competitive for the Top 2, I think we need two wide players, a 10 (or 2, one who could also cover CM), a new GK and better cover at RB (someone to really push Suguwara).  5-6 players isn't asking too much I don't think, but they all need to be immediate starters, not 'pet projects'. The level of the squad needs to be lifted as the gap between the first team and the rest is way too big right now. 

We do need to shift out quite a few to free the squad space though, so I just hope we can do it. We'll buy 100%, I'm not worried about that, I just hope we go far enough as you cannot underestimate how bad last season was - a few of the players still rotting around in the squad simply do not deserve a chance to play for us again.

There is lots of work to do.

[Convict Colony]

I am sure when Spors was doing this for Geona he knows exactly how the Friedkins operated out of Roma on transfer negotiations.

Stay strong and if they walk away I am sure someone will be back at a later date or we keep him.

 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Green said:

Remember the away end singing "we're only here for a season," when we took the lead against Luton.

 

Can't recall us ever really troubling the promotion spots that season. Were we ever in the playoff picture?

Mid-table and then around March and a hammering at Sheff Utd we looked set for consecutive relegations. Fuller then returned from loan with a brace v Cardiff (won the game but several landlords left with the evidence of a Soul Crew visit - they were beered up and well up for trouble) and under George Beerley we finished top half with a strong finish and some good loan players eg Chaplow.

[Patches O Houlihan]

5 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I do think people overestimate some of our players, especially when you put us up against a Leicester or an Ipswich (in current guise).

...Suguwara needs to show a lot to prove that he's capable, ....

There is lots of work to do.

https://psgtalk.com/2025/08/southampton-star-perfect-backup-psg-hakimi/ 

Nonsense! PSG are interested! 😁😆

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

I was at Luton but don't remember much. Hot sweaty night. Not a lot of fun seeing us throw the game away. 

Nope. We were on our way to relegation at one point. We were 20th, only 7 points above 22nd with 6 games left. We beat Brighton and that effectively made us safe. A Richard Chaplow goal (on loan) as I recall. Hard to see from that way end. I forgot he had two spells with us...

Curtis Davies a glaring reminder of what we hadn’t bought and the need for a takeover. Hajto king of the yellow card in the Bundesliga didn’t cut it by comparison. 

[Saint NL]

Not saints related, but too good not to share

 

 

 

[Gloucester Saint]

6 minutes ago, Saint NL said:

Not saints related, but too good not to share

 

 

 

Could it be an Everton or Spurs logo stealing Dibling away from them? Or maybe it’s their turn to nick in ahead of Everton? 

In the 1980s, it was the scousers who did the nicking.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

2 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Dragan Solak on transfer buisness: “Johannes has three positions in which he told us we need to buy immediately. We gave him this approval and the budget to buy these before we need to sell anything.. He's now working on a striker that he wants no matter what, that should come before we sell anybody, and we are working on a creative midfielder.”

Above are direct quotes, so no, nowhere does he say they’ll come in before we sell, it literally just says budget is there immediately 

So like I said, everyones getting worked up about made up situations in their heads

Apologies for turning into prime MLG around this

The more I look at it, the more I think it's the midfield that is a big concern.

Fernandes could well be off. Downes has too much of a liking for raw chicken and is often off sick/injured. Charles will be great this year but he could pick up too many yellow cardsget injured...and then what have we got? Smallbone, Aribo (who could be off) and a five foot midget who could turn out to be anything. And if they put wee man in midfield for a friendly that really does show a lack of depth in this area.

 

[Gloucester Saint]

18 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

The more I look at it, the more I think it's the midfield that is a big concern.

Fernandes could well be off. Downes has too much of a liking for raw chicken and is often off sick/injured. Charles will be great this year but he could pick up too many yellow cardsget injured...and then what have we got? Smallbone, Aribo (who could be off) and a five foot midget who could turn out to be anything. And if they put wee man in midfield for a friendly that really does show a lack of depth in this area.

 

Yeah, at least one more box to box midfielder as well as a #10 and couple of wide players needed. Smallbone can’t cut it physically in a two and I have a feeling Still is quicker on the uptake than Martin about this. Aribo in the Champ a bit more but he’s off. 

[lambtiss]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

I wouldn't say that. We need a couple of decent attacking midfielders but I think we've got a pretty decent Championship squad. There will be a few teams in the mix but I can't see why we wouldn't be one of them.

I think we need more than a pretty decent Championship side to finish in the top 2.

We only managed 4th last timevand that was with Adams, Bednarek, Walker Peters and Brooks. 

Downs was a big player for us that season but has had a poor season, patchy health to say the least and a falling out which saw him looking for a transfer.

 

I think we are several players short of competing for top 2. In particular, creative midfielders, good wingers and a reliable goalkeeper.

[AlexLaw76]

This squad without Fernandes and Dibling will be more of a shit-house side IMO

[Chez]

17 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Aribo in the Champ a bit more but he’s off. 

to Samsunspor, possibly.

[James]

7 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

I think we need more than a pretty decent Championship side to finish in the top 2.

We only managed 4th last timevand that was with Adams, Bednarek, Walker Peters and Brooks. 

Downs was a big player for us that season but has had a poor season, patchy health to say the least and a falling out which saw him looking for a transfer.

 

I think we are several players short of competing for top 2. In particular, creative midfielders, good wingers and a reliable goalkeeper.

Exactly. I don’t get how folks can really think we are in the conversation for Top 2 right now. We were a mile off last time and, assuming Dibling and Fernandes leave, we are going into the season with a much weaker first XI. Maybe we’ve got a deeper squad this time round but in terms of pure talent in the first XI we were much better off last time. 

[saintant]

2 hours ago, HnycS said:

Yes that is it Gold Cup involvement meant he was late for pre-season. Suspect we may see him build fitness with longer match participation, no point spending him out for 90 and getting a muscle pull that puts him out until Xmas.

He played in the Gold Cup for his country managed by Pochetinno who we know is a stickler for total fitness. He'll already be one of the fittest players in our squad.

[AlexLaw76]

Is Hamer still at Sheffield United?

They had a brilliant squad last year (do not rate their new manager though)

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

I think we need more than a pretty decent Championship side to finish in the top 2.

We only managed 4th last timevand that was with Adams, Bednarek, Walker Peters and Brooks. 

Downs was a big player for us that season but has had a poor season, patchy health to say the least and a falling out which saw him looking for a transfer.

 

I think we are several players short of competing for top 2. In particular, creative midfielders, good wingers and a reliable goalkeeper.

the more I look at us, the more doubts I have about us challenging. The keepers are the same, but McCarthy looks slower than last time round. It wasn't a strength, it still isn't.

In defence, KWP and Bednarek were our two best players at the back last time. Both gone. The replacement RB is a step down. THB might remain (and thus will be the same) and the left back position feels the same in terms of defensive quality, although we certainly have more depth. It also wasn't a strength last time. 

Central midfield feels roughly the same strength wise. Charles may have improved a little since last time, but more importantly will be his changed role that better suits him. Smallbone hasn't improved and is only useful when you have loads of the ball. Aribo was a key player in the run in. And he's off. We lacked bit last time. I still don't think we have that.

We look a little weaker out wide. Fraser looks slower, and there are less options. Brooks impressed me more than others on here, I know, but that little bit of quality is missing (assuming Dibling/Fernandes depart). A lot may rest of Robinson being a star.

Up front, the central strikers offer more variety, but do they give us a string focal point like Adams? Not sure. Armstrong is obviously here again, but is his heart in it? We are reliant on him being quickly reinvigorated like last time as his finishing got us out of jail a fair bit.

I know there is much more to it than just players. Martin had us dominate possession which strangled the life out of many teams. However, we were totally clueless without the ball and got murdered if we gave the ball away. Still's tactics must improve us, simple as that. 

[Chez]

8 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Is Hamer still at Sheffield United?

They had a brilliant squad last year (do not rate their new manager though)

Yes. 
They have lost some talent, but added others.