Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[hypochondriac]

11 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

Think Johansson and Fofana are also on the radar. Hope so as both offer a serious upgrade on Bazunu and McCarthy. 

What makes you say that? I'd love johansson. 

[hypochondriac]

Surely if we get one cb in then that will be it in that position? 

Bednarek/thb replacement 

Edwards 

Wood 

Stephens 

Might get a full back who can fill in but I can't see us having any more than four. 

Edited Tuesday at 20:00 by hypochondriac

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

What makes you say that? I'd love johansson. 

I would too. Heard we were actively scouting him start of 2024, so assume he’s still on radar now we are dropping back down. Think we’ve been looking at Fofana similar timescale, but maybe more so now Still is on board. 

[Chez]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Surely if we get one cb in then that will be it in that position? 

Bednarek/thb replacement 

Edwards 

Wood 

Stephens 

Might get a full back who can fill in but I can't see us having any more than four. 

we've got Taylor,ABK and Sanda as well. far too many in that position

[Smirking_Saint]

28 minutes ago, Chez said:

we've got Taylor,ABK and Sanda as well. far too many in that position

Booted up FM again tonight, took me a while to sort the stats out as they’re a right mess BUT

Jesus we have a lot of players, too many really, and thats going to be our issue.

(there is some crossover here but fag packet maths…)

4 GKs Lumley, Ramsdale, McCarthy, Baz

7 CBs ABK, Edwards, THB, Stephens, Bednarek, Wood, Taylor

4 LBs Taylor, Manning, Larios, Wellington 

2 RBs Sugawara, Bree

4 CMs Aribo, Downes, Charles, Smallbone

2 AM Fernandes, Lallana

3 RWs Arma, Edozie, Dibling

4 LWs Fraser, BBD, Sully, Robinson

3 STs Stewart, Archer, Onuachu

We’ll almost certainly need to trim that significantly and it won’t be easy

 

[Matthew Le God]

16 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Jesus we have a lot of players, too many really, and thats going to be our issue.

1st team, under 21s and under 18s (not including incoming loans)... we have 89 players!

A nightmare to keep track of for the FM26 database. Staff list is huge as well.

Edited Tuesday at 22:26 by Matthew Le God

[Saint_clark]

12 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Booted up FM again tonight, took me a while to sort the stats out as they’re a right mess BUT

Jesus we have a lot of players, too many really, and thats going to be our issue.

(there is some crossover here but fag packet maths…)

2 GKs McCarthy, Baz

4 CBs , Edwards,  Bednarek, Wood, Sanda

2 LBs  Manning,  Wellington 

2 RBs Sugawara, Bree

3 CMs Aribo, Downes, Charles, 

1 AM Fernandes, 

2 RWs Arma, Edozie, 

2 LWs  Sully, Robinson

3 STs Stewart, Archer, Onuachu

We’ll almost certainly need to trim that significantly and it won’t be easy

 

Edited with how I would trim it down. Note that I don't think we'll sell Stephens (unfortunately), and Fernandes is likely to go, but hey ho. 

Looking at that though it doesn't leave much room for additions. A new keeper, a new CM and AM and maybe another winger who can play either side. 

[woodsaint1]

3 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

Surely if we get one cb in then that will be it in that position? 

Bednarek/thb replacement 

Edwards 

Wood 

Stephens 

Might get a full back who can fill in but I can't see us having any more than four. 

I'd be very confident that Bednarek will not be here next season given his release clause. Similarly, no guarantee that both Wood and Stephens will feature in Still's plans (hopefully not).

Ideally I'd have Bednarek and THB replacements competing with Edwards for the starting two spots with Kayi Sanda (who looks a great prospect) and one of Stephens/Wood also providing cover

 

[Smirking_Saint]

Not sure why everyone is writing off THB, Id fully expect him to be one of the best CBs in the champ again, and surely we’re unlikely to replace him with someone much better, as well as nobody is going to pay the 20m+ we’d want

Personally Id like to keep him, just play him in a 4 back.. ive noticed he struggles hardest in a 3 CB formation 

 

[coalman]

1 hour ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Not sure why everyone is writing off THB, Id fully expect him to be one of the best CBs in the champ again, and surely we’re unlikely to replace him with someone much better, as well as nobody is going to pay the 20m+ we’d want

Personally Id like to keep him, just play him in a 4 back.. ive noticed he struggles hardest in a 3 CB formation 

 

I haven't written him off at Championship level but he is tainted by having fully embraced Martin Ball. As evidenced by his ill advised statement that it was working and the problem was the fans didn't understand football enough to fully appreciate it. I prefer my centre backs to display better judgement on and off the pitch.

[Oisin]

I would like us to get a wise old head at cb. A lot of our cbs over the last 8-10 years haven’t been good enough in the end, but they were all young when they broke through and needed a Fonte to learn off. Instead they got each other. Who knows, but with a proper leader to learn from, maybe one of Jan, Vesti, Stephens, Hoedt, Salisu, ABK and whoever else I’ve forgotten could have developed into a much better player.

Ok, not Hoedt who was too arrogant to learn from anyone, but the point still stands.

THB, Wood, Sanda and Edwards could all have huge potential but they won’t develop learning from each other - they need a leader alongside them.

[Gloucester Saint]

41 minutes ago, Oisin said:

I would like us to get a wise old head at cb. A lot of our cbs over the last 8-10 years haven’t been good enough in the end, but they were all young when they broke through and needed a Fonte to learn off. Instead they got each other. Who knows, but with a proper leader to learn from, maybe one of Jan, Vesti, Stephens, Hoedt, Salisu, ABK and whoever else I’ve forgotten could have developed into a much better player.

Ok, not Hoedt who was too arrogant to learn from anyone, but the point still stands.

THB, Wood, Sanda and Edwards could all have huge potential but they won’t develop learning from each other - they need a leader alongside them.

Michael Keane available on a free.

[Gloucester Saint]

8 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Booted up FM again tonight, took me a while to sort the stats out as they’re a right mess BUT

Jesus we have a lot of players, too many really, and thats going to be our issue.

(there is some crossover here but fag packet maths…)

4 GKs Lumley, Ramsdale, McCarthy, Baz

7 CBs ABK, Edwards, THB, Stephens, Bednarek, Wood, Taylor

4 LBs Taylor, Manning, Larios, Wellington 

2 RBs Sugawara, Bree

4 CMs Aribo, Downes, Charles, Smallbone

2 AM Fernandes, Lallana

3 RWs Arma, Edozie, Dibling

4 LWs Fraser, BBD, Sully, Robinson

3 STs Stewart, Archer, Onuachu

We’ll almost certainly need to trim that significantly and it won’t be easy

 

Out of those, Bednarek 100% going, £6m release fee clubs will all over that overseas. Bazanu loan out again, take a hit on the wages, AM is fine for #2, isn’t Lumley ooc? Bazanu #2 for final year of contract if he really develops on during loan spell. ABK will go as long as he passes medical, but will be low fee eg £5m or less. Beskitas interested apparently in Nathan Wood. Ramsdale £25m release fee pays for new #1 keeper easily. THB not quite PL ready.

The lbs will be hardest to shift. Martin might offer Saints a nominal for Manning if Still thinks Taylor is better suited. Larios see Bazanu but not returning as not suited to English football physically as a defender. Wellington and Taylor more than sufficient. Sugawara off even if it isn’t Napoli. 

CM Downes could go to Ipswich but they will struggle to pay what Saints want. Martin in the picture too. Aribo Turkey, one year left and higher earner, fee £5-8m. Plenty of prior links. Lallana retiring. Smallbone probably loan out as he’s not a Still player physically, Charles is.

Dibling and Fernandes are coveted and gone. Edozie might be a Still player I’ve a feeling.

Fraser - who knows?! BBD get fit and see. Sulemana gone I reckon but big loss on what Rasmus paid. Onachu Turkey, Trabzonspor to finally agree fee. 

Edited yesterday at 06:32 by Gloucester Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Not sure why everyone is writing off THB, Id fully expect him to be one of the best CBs in the champ again, and surely we’re unlikely to replace him with someone much better, as well as nobody is going to pay the 20m+ we’d want

Personally Id like to keep him, just play him in a 4 back.. ive noticed he struggles hardest in a 3 CB formation 

 

He and Bedders are a Championship promotion partnership at the back.

Ramsdale behind them wasn't an issue.

However, as mentioned he's better not being in a 3. He (like the rest of the team) could do with an experienced DM in front of them, and better players elsewhere to alleviate the pressure on the defence.

1 hour ago, coalman said:

I haven't written him off at Championship level but he is tainted by having fully embraced Martin Ball. As evidenced by his ill advised statement that it was working and the problem was the fans didn't understand football enough to fully appreciate it. I prefer my centre backs to display better judgement on and off the pitch.

Oh, I hadn't remembered that about the fans. Perhaps he can check how much his pay goes down in the Championship to reassess "working." He has another system to work in now, so he might end up liking that more.

We've Edwards coming back. That's Bedders, THB, ABK, Stephens, Wood, Taylor and you'd want a pathway for the likes of Sanda. I'd expect that to be pruned back a bit. Certainly with deals underway/done before other targets are brought in.

[Convict Colony]

Apologies if posted but watched a good youtube on our squad and was talking about Dan Fellows from WBA as winger perfect for Still.

Then found a link at least at beginning of this month. https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2025/05/04/tom-fellows-exit-10m-southampton-transfer-claim-emerges-after-west-brom-win/

A winger that can cross with both feet, score, fast and works hard for 10m

4 goals and 14 assists this season.

 

[Toussaint]

10 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Apologies if posted but watched a good youtube on our squad and was talking about Dan Fellows from WBA as winger perfect for Still.

Then found a link at least at beginning of this month. https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2025/05/04/tom-fellows-exit-10m-southampton-transfer-claim-emerges-after-west-brom-win/

A winger that can cross with both feet, score, fast and works hard for 10m

4 goals and 14 assists this season.

 

He looks a good player, I’m surprised he’s still there. 

[skintsaint]

29 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Apologies if posted but watched a good youtube on our squad and was talking about Dan Fellows from WBA as winger perfect for Still.

Then found a link at least at beginning of this month. https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2025/05/04/tom-fellows-exit-10m-southampton-transfer-claim-emerges-after-west-brom-win/

A winger that can cross with both feet, score, fast and works hard for 10m

4 goals and 14 assists this season.

 

No thanks, likes to run forward, beat a man and put a cross in. We don't do that here.

[suewhistle]

The more optimistic amongst us are getting quite excited or at least intrigued by the new managerial appointment, although it could be argued it wouldn't take much at the moment!  But I was wondering if the new manager will have any impact on potential signings and whether his presence would help get any deals over the line? 

He knows and is known in the French and Belgian game but I'm certain Tall Paul would never have been his sort of signing!

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

He knows and is known in the French and Belgian game but I'm certain Tall Paul would never have been his sort of signing!

RC Lens put the most crosses into the box of any team in the French top league this season. Isn't that an aspect of Still's style of play Onuachu could be useful for?

Edited 22 hours ago by Matthew Le God

[Fabrice29]

38 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

RC Lens put the most crosses into the box of any team in the French top league this season. Isn't that an aspect of Still's style of play Onuachu could be useful for?

I don’t think any of Lens strikers are particularly tall. Seems to favour much more mobile strikers who can press heavy and react quickly to high turnovers and quick crosses rather than the old school aim for the big man type crosses. Onuachu nowhere near mobile enough for that and is incredibly out of his depth in this league on almost all fronts as evidence by his performances over 1.5 seasons now. 

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Onuachu nowhere near mobile enough for that and is incredibly out of his depth in this league on almost all fronts as evidence by his performances over 1.5 seasons now. 

A league we are no longer in! He may well go this summer, but if he were to stay, he'd be a handful at Championship level.

[Fabrice29]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

A league we are no longer in! He may well go this summer, but if he were to stay, he'd be a handful at Championship level.

The Championship is a league that last time we were in it a) he didn’t want to be there and b) the manager who got us promoted that season didn’t seem at all arsed about it. 

There’s nothing like a handful who barely moves, barely jumps, barely holds up the ball and has barely looked threatening unless it’s put on a plate for him. He’s not very good and we won’t be playing in a way that suits him. Thankfully. 

[Lighthouse]

We’ve already got four other strikers who are to some extent proven at Championship level. Onuachu is one wage packet too many in that department, seems like a no brainer to get him out if someone will have him.

[CSA96]

For anyone who thinks Paul Onuachu should be playing for us next season, allow me to remind you that the new manager was asked about his style of play and the first two words he used were 'high energy' - off you go, Paul. Don't let the door hit you on the way out

[Smirking_Saint]

4 hours ago, coalman said:

I haven't written him off at Championship level but he is tainted by having fully embraced Martin Ball. As evidenced by his ill advised statement that it was working and the problem was the fans didn't understand football enough to fully appreciate it. I prefer my centre backs to display better judgement on and off the pitch.

I really couldn’t give a fuck what a 21 yr old says about a manager he formally liked tbh

[BARCELONASAINT]

Onuachu is off back to Turkey and it is just a matter of Saints squeezing out as much as they can for him. Anyone that thinks he would fit STILL's high press, high energy type of game is deluded.

Edited 21 hours ago by BARCELONASAINT

[hypochondriac]

Other than Dibling, kwp, Ramsdale and Fernandes every sale should be cheered as its one more off the books and a bit closer to getting in new players with a different mentality who can give Will Still what he's looking for. 

[hypochondriac]

39 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

We’ve already got four other strikers who are to some extent proven at Championship level. Onuachu is one wage packet too many in that department, seems like a no brainer to get him out if someone will have him.

If we can get a reasonable fee for any of them then that's great. 

[Chez]

35 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

We’ve already got four other strikers who are to some extent proven at Championship level. Onuachu is one wage packet too many in that department, seems like a no brainer to get him out if someone will have him.

He's 31 and on a large wage. Not easy to shift if you want a 'reasonable' transfer fee, which we did last summer. Trabzonspor offered buttons, we said "no" and obviously they got Simon Banza in on loan, who promptly scored 21 goals in 31 games. I suspect they will want to sign him, but Braga will want a reasonable fee too. Trabzonspor didnt qualify for any European competition, so they wont be flush. 

[HarvSFC]

"John Percy on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Mateus Fernandes: “He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment.”

When did Nottingham Forest start acting like the big six. Can't just give our best player away. Are they just going to let Gibbs-White go to Manchester City for a reduced fee?

 

[sfc4prem]

Just now, HarvSFC said:

"John Percy on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Mateus Fernandes: “He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment.”

When did Nottingham Forest start acting like the big six. Can't just give our best player away. Are they just going to let Gibbs-White go to Manchester City for a reduced fee?

 

Asking for ridiculous money? As in £41m for Elliot Anderson?

Glad we're asking for a decent fee.

[Chez]

3 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Michael Keane available on a free.

Genuine question. Is he any good? He has struggled to get a game for three years at Everton, admittedly behind Tarkowski and Branthwaite. 

Is Keane better than what we have? 

I am not entirely sure how good some of our CBs are like Sanda, Edwards and Wood. Bednarek looked pretty good in the championship, but he looks the most likely to depart (we will see). THB is OK, but needs someone powerful next to him. 

[Midfield_General]

6 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Other than Dibling, kwp, Ramsdale and Fernandes every sale should be cheered as its one more off the books and a bit closer to getting in new players with a different mentality who can give Will Still what he's looking for. 

I think the jury's very much out on Dibling's mentality, based on the second half of the season when he didn't seem to putting anywhere near as much work in. Yes he was in a poor side blah blah but he's only 19 and is still making his way in the game - at the very least he should be putting in maximum effort at all times. If he's not prepared to properly bust a gut for the team when he's still only 19, that raises question marks for me. Talent is worthless if you're too arrogant to think you have to work hard as well. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

Just now, Chez said:

Genuine question. Is he any good? He has struggled to get a game for three years at Everton, admittedly behind Tarkowski and Branthwaite. 

Is Keane better than what we have? 

I am not entirely sure how good some of our CBs are like Sanda, Edwards and Wood. Bednarek looked pretty good in the championship, but he looks the most likely to depart (we will see). THB is OK, but needs someone powerful next to him. 

I think in THB, Sanda and Edward’s we’ve got potentially three perfectly sound CB’s for the Championship. Add possibly Stephens and/or Wood (I’d personally prefer someone else - a decent left-sided CB) and there’s your full complement. Must not forget that Still has been noted as improving defences - it would be great if he can get more out of our rabble.

[Chez]

2 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

Asking for ridiculous money? As in £41m for Elliot Anderson?

Glad we're asking for a decent fee.

With £20m coming the other way for Vlachodimos, their third string (unwanted) keeper bought for £4m 12 months earlier and who couldn't get a game. A PSR workaround that made the whole thing look pointless.

The huge parachute payments provide the stability required for relegated clubs to demand reasonable fees for their 'decent' players. I expect us to demand a very good fee for a proven talent like Fernandes. 

 

[disconnect]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

With £20m coming the other way for Vlachodimos, their third string (unwanted) keeper bought for £4m 12 months earlier and who couldn't get a game. A PSR workaround that made the whole thing look pointless.

The huge parachute payments provide the stability required for relegated clubs to demand reasonable fees for their 'decent' players. I expect us to demand a very good fee for a proven talent like Fernandes. 

 

Nottingham Forest have spunked £40 million on both Anderson and Gibbs-White (after a good season in the Championship) and yet want to get Fernandes, a player much better than what those players were at those points in their career for probably around £25 million? Doesn't feel overly realistic. 

Their owner seems like a ticking time bomb anyway, and can see them struggling with European football and the league next season. 

[saintant]

55 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

For anyone who thinks Paul Onuachu should be playing for us next season, allow me to remind you that the new manager was asked about his style of play and the first two words he used were 'high energy' - off you go, Paul. Don't let the door hit you on the way out

The lack of high energy goes for most of the current squad.

[saintant]

23 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I think the jury's very much out on Dibling's mentality, based on the second half of the season when he didn't seem to putting anywhere near as much work in. Yes he was in a poor side blah blah but he's only 19 and is still making his way in the game - at the very least he should be putting in maximum effort at all times. If he's not prepared to properly bust a gut for the team when he's still only 19, that raises question marks for me. Talent is worthless if you're too arrogant to think you have to work hard as well. 

There are clearly doubts about what Dibling can achieve in the game. It seems that he started in the Prem as a relative unknown and showed some promise yet opponents soon worked out how to nulify him. As to what we could get for him in today's market, that's a difficult one but I suspect it will be way below some of the huge values being bandied about.

[hypochondriac]

28 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I think the jury's very much out on Dibling's mentality, based on the second half of the season when he didn't seem to putting anywhere near as much work in. Yes he was in a poor side blah blah but he's only 19 and is still making his way in the game - at the very least he should be putting in maximum effort at all times. If he's not prepared to properly bust a gut for the team when he's still only 19, that raises question marks for me. Talent is worthless if you're too arrogant to think you have to work hard as well. 

I think that's a little unfair without context. Like you say he's a child still really and there was a suggestion he may have some sort of autism which could have an impact. Maybe he is lazy and has an attitude problem or maybe he's a young player who will be inconsistent trying to deal with big changes of style multiple times in his debut season when he's still learning the game. Either way I think he would benefit enormously from a season playing every week in the Championship so I'd like to keep him if we can, particularly if we are selling THB, Ramsdale and Fernandes because we should have a fair bit of money then. 

Edited 20 hours ago by hypochondriac

[Bakovnetski]

Manchester United are leading the race to sign highly-rated Southampton defender Harley Emsden-James this summer, MailOnline has revealed.

 

The Red Devils are reportedly ahead of Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham in the chase for the promising 16-year-old defender, who could join United for around £1m in compensation.

A number of top-flight clubs have been tracking Emsden-James’ progress in recent months, but United are now hopeful of landing the ‘brilliant’ centre-back in another smart deal for the future.

[Teamsaint1]

44 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

"John Percy on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Mateus Fernandes: “He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment.”

When did Nottingham Forest start acting like the big six. Can't just give our best player away. Are they just going to let Gibbs-White go to Manchester City for a reduced fee?

 

 

Seems like a very  good plan for our best players.  Lavia is the benchmark.

We would be mad to take a penny under £50m net for him, and I think we can get more. He is the finished article.

Edited 20 hours ago by Teamsaint1

[Fabrice29]

39 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I think the jury's very much out on Dibling's mentality, based on the second half of the season when he didn't seem to putting anywhere near as much work in. Yes he was in a poor side blah blah but he's only 19 and is still making his way in the game - at the very least he should be putting in maximum effort at all times. If he's not prepared to properly bust a gut for the team when he's still only 19, that raises question marks for me. Talent is worthless if you're too arrogant to think you have to work hard as well. 

He’s young and doesn’t run around like Brett Ormerod or drag us out of relegation like MLT so it must be an attitude problem. Bore off.

The lad went from being an unknown kid with a manager who he described as a 2nd dad building a team to accentuate his best traits to being asked to play under 2 different managers with 2 different systems neither of which suited him or probably anything he done in previous youth teams. 

He’s not going to run around like a headless chicken ever in his career and nor should he just to appease some deluded crowd members who want to pick on the kid from the academy again. 

Edited 20 hours ago by Fabrice29

[Patrick Bateman]

42 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

"John Percy on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Mateus Fernandes: “He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment.”

When did Nottingham Forest start acting like the big six. Can't just give our best player away. Are they just going to let Gibbs-White go to Manchester City for a reduced fee?

 

GOOD! 

The players are contracted, we can ask for what we want, I like this. Equally, I assume the players we don't want would be on sale or buy one get one free though. 

Edited 20 hours ago by Patrick Bateman

[LuckyNumber7]

40 minutes ago, Chez said:

Genuine question. Is he any good? He has struggled to get a game for three years at Everton, admittedly behind Tarkowski and Branthwaite. 

Is Keane better than what we have? 

I am not entirely sure how good some of our CBs are like Sanda, Edwards and Wood. Bednarek looked pretty good in the championship, but he looks the most likely to depart (we will see). THB is OK, but needs someone powerful next to him. 

Don't want Keane anywhere near Saints, would rather stick with what we have. There's a reason why he's never been a regular for Everton. He's looked terrible every time I've watched him and scores own goals for fun.

[Midfield_General]

8 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I think that's a little unfair without context. Like you say he's a child still really and there was a suggestion he may have some sort of autism which could have an impact. Maybe he is lazy and has an attitude problem or maybe he's a young player who will be inconsistent trying to deal with big changes of style multiple times in his debut season when he's still learning the game. Either way I think he would benefit enormously from a season playing every week in the Championship so I'd like to keep him if we can, particularly if we are selling THB, Ramsdale and Fernandes because we should have a fair bit of money then. 

All very fair points. 

Another question of course is generally how he would fit into a high-energy, high-pressing style of the sort that Still will apparently demand. The manager is going to need to see a lot of work off the ball from any player in that set-up. 

It's all probably moot though tbh, because the club seem to see him as their quickest and easiest way of raising funds this summer, so I think if he wants to go, then if someone comes in with anything £50/55m+ then he'll be straight off. I'm not entirely clear who would be ready to spend even that sort of money on him though, let alone the silly £100m figure that the club put out there. On the surface there's not an obvious club who would leap at his languid style + what he's proven so far + what it would be likely to cost them, and who also have an obvious need for a player like him. Especially considering he's already been burned by the 'squad player at a big club' experience at Chelsea which didn't work for him at all. 

[Midfield_General]

18 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

He’s young and doesn’t run around like Brett Ormerod or drag us out of relegation like MLT so it must be an attitude problem. Bore off.

The lad went from being an unknown kid with a manager who he described as a 2nd dad building a team to accentuate his best traits to being asked to play under 2 different managers with 2 different systems neither of which suited him or probably anything he done in previous youth teams. 

He’s not going to run around like a headless chicken ever in his career and nor should he just to appease some deluded crowd members who want to pick on the kid from the academy again. 

Yes, because working hard off the ball is exactly the same as running around like a headless chicken or being Brett Ormerod. That's exactly what I said. Good one. 👍

[coalman]

1 hour ago, HarvSFC said:

"John Percy on Nottingham Forest’s interest in Mateus Fernandes: “He’ll have a lot of interest but Southampton are asking for ridiculous money for players, so they’re not very easy to deal with at the moment.”

When did Nottingham Forest start acting like the big six. Can't just give our best player away. Are they just going to let Gibbs-White go to Manchester City for a reduced fee?

 

There's an easy solution to this. Simply get the chairman's daughter to film herself putting up "Free Mateus Fernandes" posters around Nottingham.

Their job is to get the players they want for as little as possible. Our job is the ensure we get what we consider to be fair value for our players. Whining about that in the press is just part of the performative art of it.

[coalman]

25 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

He’s young and doesn’t run around like Brett Ormerod or drag us out of relegation like MLT so it must be an attitude problem. Bore off.

The lad went from being an unknown kid with a manager who he described as a 2nd dad building a team to accentuate his best traits to being asked to play under 2 different managers with 2 different systems neither of which suited him or probably anything he done in previous youth teams. 

He’s not going to run around like a headless chicken ever in his career and nor should he just to appease some deluded crowd members who want to pick on the kid from the academy again. 

I'm not sure that his 2nd dad is relevant. Or that his 2nd dad built a team around his best traits. Martin had a lot of reluctance to play him at all initially from where I was sitting.

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Especially considering he's already been burned by the 'squad player at a big club' experience at Chelsea which didn't work for him at all. 

That isn't why he left Chelsea. He was 16/17 when he joined them, he wasn't in the first team squad. He joined them to initially be a youth team player in the under 18s, not a first team player. He left Chelsea because he couldn't settle in their academy.

[Fabrice29]

2 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Yes, because working hard off the ball is exactly the same as running around like a headless chicken or being Brett Ormerod. That's exactly what I said. Good one. 👍

It is what would satisfy you though isn’t it? Because he played an hour or so in a ridiculously defensive set up against Man City just 2 weeks ago were he, and everyone else, was asked to play a disciplined game in which they could barely press beyond the half way line and yet you’re out here questioning his attitude. 

1 minute ago, coalman said:

I'm not sure that his 2nd dad is relevant. Or that his 2nd dad built a team around his best traits. Martin had a lot of reluctance to play him at all initially from where I was sitting.

Well I’m not sure where you were sitting but he started our fourth game of the season from my seat after 3 sub appearances before that. But yeah, reluctant ffs 🤣