Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[Smirking_Saint]

34 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Saveable,  sure, but 'easily'?

I blame Stephens more than Bazunu. He was stretching across with the wrong leg and prevented a clear view of the striker contacting the ball. Essential for any predictive save.

Yeah the critique Baz got for the Stoke goal is laughable really

THB and Stephens are more culpable than Baz

[trousers]

14 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Yeah the critique Baz got for the Stoke goal is laughable really

THB and Stephens are more culpable than Baz

Playing devil's advocate, isn't the whole point of having a good keeper is that you've got someone who bails the team out when the defenders let you down...? (Of course, one answer to that is: have better defenders... Well, quite...)

Edited Saturday at 08:39 by trousers

[UpweySaint]

17 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I'll hold my hands up on this one, I honestly thought when we signed BBD he would, as someone else put it, chip in with a few goals.

He's been one of our biggest dissapointing transfers in the last 5-10 years for me, and seeing some of the utter shite we have signed in that time thats saying something. 

The Lazio game in preseason was the high point unfortunately. I thought he seemed like a bargain considering the goals he had got for Sheff Utd in the run in. Confidence and systems likely play a part - I wonder if somebody else will get a tune out of him?

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Smirking_Saint said:

It was a tentative link at best. Norwich won’t sell him to Ipswich. Nunezsale already went down like a shit sandwich

Plus the Nunez sale balances the books for them

possibly.

With a £38m parachute payment in 23/24 they still had to make £14m profit in players sales just to break even. Last season (24/25) they had no parachute payment. That meant a £38m reduction in income. They only made about £2m NET profit in player sales in 24/25. When their accounts come out for last season I'd expect a sizeable loss. So far this season they have only made about £10m NET profit on player sales according to transfermarkt. Unless their wage bill has been reduced massively over the last year, they may still need to sell Sargent to balance the books. His contract runs until 2028 which means they can wait until next year perhaps, but he will want a move.

[Chez]

31 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Just opened an article that was titled - "Southampton have a major transfer decision to make as clubs circle for star"

Thought, here we go, THB off is he, or Charles?

Nope, BBD apparently 

🤪

Wonder if we will get a bid for Charles on Monday? It's always the players you want to keep that PL teams try to acquire.

[OldNick]

6 minutes ago, Chez said:

Wonder if we will get a bid for Charles on Monday? It's always the players you want to keep that PL teams try to acquire.

I did see that Leeds were interested in Charles, but no odubt that has already been posted

[saint michael]

I think the Bazunu performance also stems from the defence not working as a unit. It all feels very individual when a side attacks us. We end up needing someone to put in a saving block or tackle. Very little is proactive. Remember Niemi organising defence and a lot of the time he swept up before shots came in

 

exactly as we saw today at Watford. 

Edited Saturday at 16:44 by saint michael

[santolijador]

15 minutes ago, Chez said:

possibly.

With a £38m parachute payment in 23/24 they still had to make £14m profit in players sales just to break even. Last season (24/25) they had no parachute payment. That meant a £38m reduction in income. They only made about £2m NET profit in player sales in 24/25. When their accounts come out for last season I'd expect a sizeable loss. So far this season they have only made about £10m NET profit on player sales according to transfermarkt. Unless their wage bill has been reduced massively over the last year, they may still need to sell Sargent to balance the books. His contract runs until 2028 which means they can wait until next year perhaps, but he will want a move.

I don’t have the source off the top of my head, but I’m fairly sure that earlier in the summer Norwich agreed a fee with Wolfsburg (or Werder Bremen or one of those middling teams) but Sargent decided to stay at Norwich. 
 

I think the feeling from Norwich fans at the time was that he was holding out for a Prem move, which has yet to materialize, and now many expect him to stay until January at least. 
 

Personally, I still think a Brentford or a Burnley could take a punt on him, but by all accounts if that doesn’t happen, he is happy to bide his time in East Anglia. The Ipswich link mentioned above was a spoof account in light of the Nuñez signing (which btw, rivalry aside, is good business for Norwich given he is made of glass and was going to go for free at the end of the season) 

but in summary, Sargent leaving Norwich for the championship is wishful thinking I think. 

[Chez]

4 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I did see that Leeds were interested in Charles, but no odubt that has already been posted

They will know him and his game very well you'd think.

[suewhistle]

19 minutes ago, UpweySaint said:

Confidence and systems likely play a part - I wonder if somebody else will get a tune out of him?

And fitness too? I think he needs a move for his own good, to a team with an RSM type fitness coach and access to a decent sports pyschologist. I'm sure he's aware of his own shortcomings and against Norwich as sub he looked abject and desperate.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, santolijador said:

I don’t have the source off the top of my head, but I’m fairly sure that earlier in the summer Norwich agreed a fee with Wolfsburg (or Werder Bremen or one of those middling teams) but Sargent decided to stay at Norwich. 
 

I think the feeling from Norwich fans at the time was that he was holding out for a Prem move, which has yet to materialize, and now many expect him to stay until January at least. 
 

Personally, I still think a Brentford or a Burnley could take a punt on him, but by all accounts if that doesn’t happen, he is happy to bide his time in East Anglia. The Ipswich link mentioned above was a spoof account in light of the Nuñez signing (which btw, rivalry aside, is good business for Norwich given he is made of glass and was going to go for free at the end of the season) 

but in summary, Sargent leaving Norwich for the championship is wishful thinking I think. 

Many reports suggested the deal didn't happen because Norwich wanted a lot more than Wolfsburg offered, which was about £16.5m.

[Midfield_General]

2 hours ago, Toadhall Saint said:

Tiny island attitude- I mean the IOW is bigger than that shit hole.

Fratton-sized mentality

[santolijador]

4 minutes ago, Chez said:

Many reports suggested the deal didn't happen because Norwich wanted a lot more than Wolfsburg offered, which was about £16.5m.

The Athletic (and sky sports) said it was his decision 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6506390/2025/07/23/josh-sargent-wolfsburg-norwich-transfer/

[hypochondriac]

I wonder if we bought Downs thinojg he would be the main man this year? If not it seems an awful lot of money to spend on one player in the championship. Someone a few weeks ago said the club viewed his signing as a coup and we're surprised someone in the prem didn't come in for him. I have to say I haven't seen that myself so far.

[Chez]

1 minute ago, santolijador said:

The Athletic (and sky sports) said it was his decision 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6506390/2025/07/23/josh-sargent-wolfsburg-norwich-transfer/

and the Wolfsberg newspaper said otherwise according to EFL Analysis website. Who knows, but I doubt he wants to make a sideways move after scoring goals at this level. 

https://eflanalysis.com/news/liam-manning-receives-norwich-city-transfer-boost-as-josh-sargent-to-wolfsburg-twist-emerges/

 

[Chez]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I wonder if we bought Downs thinojg he would be the main man this year? If not it seems an awful lot of money to spend on one player in the championship. Someone a few weeks ago said the club viewed his signing as a coup and we're surprised someone in the prem didn't come in for him. I have to say I haven't seen that myself so far.

I am pretty sure we did.

[scumbag]

58 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Let's just put it out there that he is not the worst keeper in the division.

I think the delusion is the hysteria that he is. 

Dont blame the whistle-blower lads! Granted ive relied on the mantra that 'your eyes don't lie to you', but I thought some bright spark had previously put the stats out there to prove it?  I haven't checked the credibility of the source here, so assume this is nonsense?  I stand corrected, and hereby drop 'the worst' comment, and replace with 'not particularly good'.

According to FBREF, Bazunu is statically the worst stopper of any of the 46 goalkeepers who have played a Championship game this season.

When comparing the number of goals conceded to the number of goals expected from the shots faced (xGC), Bazunu has let in 11.1 more goals than would be anticipated based on the quality of attempts. The next worst is Hull City’s Ryan Allsop, having conceded 8.5 goals more than he statistically should have.

Worryingly, this is not an anomaly. In Bazunu’s debut season for Southampton in the Premier League last campaign, the 22-cap Ireland international ranked the worst of any goalkeeper to play eight or more top flight games, conceding 16.6 more goals than he would have been expected to.

 

[Whitey Grandad]

21 minutes ago, saint michael said:

I think the Bazunu performance also stems from the defence not working as a unit. It all feels very individual when a side attacks us. We end up needing someone to put in a saving block or tackle. Very little is proactive. Remember Niemi organising defence and a lot of the time he swept up before shots came in

For that second Stoke goal all ten outfield players were way upfield massing around their goal leaving only Stephens anywhere near the halfway line. We were ripe for a counter attack.

[Whitey Grandad]

5 minutes ago, scumbag said:

Dont blame the whistle-blower lads! Granted ive relied on the mantra that 'your eyes don't lie to you', but I thought some bright spark had previously put the stats out there to prove it?  I haven't checked the credibility of the source here, so assume this is nonsense?  I stand corrected, and hereby drop 'the worst' comment, and replace with 'not particularly good'.

According to FBREF, Bazunu is statically the worst stopper of any of the 46 goalkeepers who have played a Championship game this season.

When comparing the number of goals conceded to the number of goals expected from the shots faced (xGC), Bazunu has let in 11.1 more goals than would be anticipated based on the quality of attempts. The next worst is Hull City’s Ryan Allsop, having conceded 8.5 goals more than he statistically should have.

Worryingly, this is not an anomaly. In Bazunu’s debut season for Southampton in the Premier League last campaign, the 22-cap Ireland international ranked the worst of any goalkeeper to play eight or more top flight games, conceding 16.6 more goals than he would have been expected to.

 

We have been over this many, many times. xGC is generated by a computer program that converts a video of a game by converting it into the equivalent of a PlayStation football simulation and then decides whether or not a goalkeeper should have saved a goal by comparing such simulation with previous examples. As a scientific exercise it is beyond contempt. Only a mug would be fooled by it. It doesn't take into account small deflections caused by an attempted intervention,  for example, because it can't. So it doesn't. This is a butterfly flapping its wings scenario where a small tweak to the algorithm leads to extreme fluctuations in outcomes. 

11.1 goals 😆😆😆

Leaving aside the fact that a quantity of goals can only be a discrete number, so far this season we have played 3 games and conceded 4 goals.

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

We have been over this many, many times. xGC is generated by a computer program that converts a video of a game by converting it into the equivalent of a PlayStation football simulation and then decides whether or not a goalkeeper should have saved a goal by comparing such simulation with previous examples. As a scientific exercise it is beyond contempt. Only a mug would be fooled by it. It doesn't take into account small deflections caused by an attempted intervention,  for example, because it can't. So it doesn't. This is a butterfly flapping its wings scenario where a small tweak to the algorithm leads to extreme fluctuations in outcomes. 

11.1 goals 😆😆😆

Leaving aside the fact that a quantity of goals can only be a discrete number, so far this season we have played 3 games and conceded 4 goals.

So, in summary, it's just an unfortunate coincidence that Baz  always find himself towards the bottom of these 'flawed' measurement system...?

Edited Saturday at 09:42 by trousers

[Smirking_Saint]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

Playing devil's advocate, isn't the whole point of having a good keeper is that you've got someone who bails the team out when the defenders let you down...? (Of course, one answer to that is: have better defenders... Well, quite...)

Which he has done this season

Im not going to dig him out for missing a shot that he probably didn’t see until late and was well placed because the covering defender did a horrendous job defending the situation 

[scumbag]

4 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

We have been over this many, many times. xGC is generated by a computer program that converts a video of a game by converting it into the equivalent of a PlayStation football simulation and then decides whether or not a goalkeeper should have saved a goal by comparing such simulation with previous examples. As a scientific exercise it is beyond contempt. Only a mug would be fooled by it. It doesn't take into account small deflections caused by an attempted intervention,  for example, because it can't. So it doesn't. This is a butterfly flapping its wings scenario where a small tweak to the algorithm leads to extreme fluctuations in outcomes. 

11.1 goals 😆😆😆

Leaving aside the fact that a quantity of goals can only be a discrete number, so far this season we have played 3 games and conceded 4 goals.

Cheers. 

Withdraw the assertion accordingly.

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, trousers said:

So, in summary, Baz is just unlucky to always find himself towards the bottom of these 'flawed' measurement system...?

Always?

No random system is truly random and depending on the methodology they will all have inherent biases. As far as I know there is only the one source for these fact-fodders. What I am saying is use your own eyes and experience to judge. Don't try to back up your judgment with numbers that seem to agree with your own prejudiced views.

[Lighthouse]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

So, in summary, it's just an unfortunate coincidence that Baz  always find himself towards the bottom of these 'flawed' measurement system...?

And yet everyone raves about Johansson, who last season conceded joint third most goals in the Championship and the season before conceded 20 more than any other 'keeper.

[Smirking_Saint]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

So, in summary, Baz is just unlucky to always find himself towards the bottom of these 'flawed' measurement system...?

Tell me how well goalkeepers do in general in Russell Martin systems then we can have a chat

[austsaint]

6 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Tell me how well goalkeepers do in general in Russell Martin systems then we can have a chat

The lad at Ibrox is working overtime I’ve noticed.

[Midfield_General]

33 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

For that second Stoke goal all ten outfield players were way upfield massing around their goal leaving only Stephens anywhere near the halfway line. We were ripe for a counter attack.

What was really irritating though was that from where I was in the Northam/ Kingsland corner it looked like Stephens did actually initially do really well - he managed to get back and get between the striker and the goal. But then having done the hard work and got into position he then stood off him and still let him get the shot away and past him. 

In my personal opinion - speaking as someone who has played week in week out as a goalkeeper for 35 years - Baz could have done better with it. Yes, he was slightly unsighted by Stephens, but he still had to be expecting the shot and been on his toes more. It wasn't a howler by any means but it was yet another one to put on his pile marked 'can't help feeling another keeper might have done better with that', of which there are loads over the course of his time with us. 

Edited Saturday at 09:59 by Midfield_General

[Danbert]

Don't think this has been posted yet

Jonathan Ikone winger said to be on the verge of signing for us

https://sportwitness.co.uk/belief-winger-is-on-his-way-to-southampton-minor-fee-player-attracted-by-destination/

[Saints4Prem]

11 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

What was really irritating though was that from where I was in the Northam/ Kingsland corner it looked like Stephens did actually initially do really well - he managed to get back and get between the striker and the goal. But then having done the hard work and got into position he then stood off him and still let him get the shot away and past him. 

In my personal opinion - speaking as someone who has played week in week out as a goalkeeper for 35 years - Baz could have done better with it. Yes, he was slightly unsighted by Stephens, but he still had to be expecting the shot and been on his toes more. It wasn't a howler by any means but it was yet another one to put on his pile marked 'can't help feeling another keeper might have done better with that', of which there are loads over the course of his time with us. 

I d not Blame Baz for the Stoke defeat it was mainly down to poor defending and lack of scoring goals from easy chances. Obviously the Baz bashers don't remember the great save that kept us in the Wrexham game and allowed us to gain 3 points. I also think he is trying a lot harder and has also been a lot braver, for example coming out to the ball where the Stoke guy dived and got sent off. I am not rushing to write him off yet.

[gio1saints]

8 minutes ago, Danbert said:

Don't think this has been posted yet

Jonathan Ikone winger said to be on the verge of signing for us

https://sportwitness.co.uk/belief-winger-is-on-his-way-to-southampton-minor-fee-player-attracted-by-destination/

Now THIS is an example of buying a guy who won’t be a starter and probably cannot cut it in the EPl either. Ie like we used to do. Please swerve this Saints. 

[HKsaint]

Can anyone tell me the differences amongst the 3 or 4 we just signed in these two days? Very confusing 

[maysie]

6 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Can anyone tell me the differences amongst the 3 or 4 we just signed in these two days? Very confusing 

What do you mean differences? They are different people for one and all play different positions.

[OldNick]

44 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

I'll hold my hands up on this one, I honestly thought when we signed BBD he would, as someone else put it, chip in with a few goals.

He's been one of our biggest dissapointing transfers in the last 5-10 years for me, and seeing some of the utter shite we have signed in that time thats saying something. 

Im with you on that, I also thought he would chip in but the hammering he got for the Schar incident, where he was slaughtered by media and the socials really affected hin

[Osvaldorama]

45 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

And yet everyone raves about Johansson, who last season conceded joint third most goals in the Championship and the season before conceded 20 more than any other 'keeper.

He played for the worst team in the division, by a a mile. Bazunu plays for one of the best, and is still the worst

I don’t blame him for Stoke, but he is a huge weak link in the squad 

 

Edited Saturday at 10:32 by Osvaldorama

[OldNick]

16 minutes ago, Saints4Prem said:

I d not Blame Baz for the Stoke defeat it was mainly down to poor defending and lack of scoring goals from easy chances. Obviously the Baz bashers don't remember the great save that kept us in the Wrexham game and allowed us to gain 3 points. I also think he is trying a lot harder and has also been a lot braver, for example coming out to the ball where the Stoke guy dived and got sent off. I am not rushing to write him off yet.

New goalkeeping coach may be helping

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, maysie said:

What do you mean differences? They are different people for one and all play different positions.

I don't know if anyone's picked up on this, but I noticed they had different names. Sometimes, different people can have the same name. But these were all different names too.

[Gloucester Saint]

28 minutes ago, Danbert said:

Don't think this has been posted yet

Jonathan Ikone winger said to be on the verge of signing for us

https://sportwitness.co.uk/belief-winger-is-on-his-way-to-southampton-minor-fee-player-attracted-by-destination/

Doesn’t fit with yesterday’s signing profiles either, Scienza more likely IMHO. He could be a fallback if they can’t agree a fee with Heidenheim but not that far apart.

[SNSUN]

22 minutes ago, HKsaint said:

Can anyone tell me the differences amongst the 3 or 4 we just signed in these two days? Very confusing 

As in positions? As I take it...

Azaz is a 10/attacking midfield playmaker.

Jander is a CM that can play DM or box to box.

Fellows is an old school, right footed quick right winger. 

Essentially in a 4231 Jander in CM, Fellows on the right and Azaz behind the striker. I still think we'll get a left winger in (Scienza?) to help relieve the pressure on Robinson and Fraser but that can only happen if we ship out BBD and Edozie. I assume we'll keep Matsuki to back up Azaz.

[SuperSAINT]

3 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

Derby now favourites for BBD..

Loan or permanent? Any idea?

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, SuperSAINT said:

Loan or permanent? Any idea?

Loan apparently.

[egg]

27 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Im with you on that, I also thought he would chip in but the hammering he got for the Schar incident, where he was slaughtered by media and the socials really affected hin

I hadn't seen that as a link to BBD' loss of confidence, but he was decent in that game and I had high hopes for him. What has happened along the way, I'm not sure, and I'd attribute more to our crap coaching and how he's been asked to play. 

In the cup game he just looked lost and completely bereft of confidence. 

He needs a new start somewhere. 

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Loan or permanent? Any idea?

Unclear but loan with option seems most likely https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-derby-county-leading-race-to-sign/#:~:text=Derby County are leading the,international as a priority target.

[saint michael]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

So, in summary, it's just an unfortunate coincidence that Baz  always find himself towards the bottom of these 'flawed' measurement system...?

As I said above. I don’t think he is a good keeper but the whole defensive unit is failing around him which magnifies his flaws 

[Whitey Grandad]

37 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

He played for the worst team in the division, by a a mile. Bazunu plays for one of the best, and is still the worst

I don’t blame him for Stoke, but he is a huge weak link in the squad 

 

"The worst" by what measure? 

By results? We got promoted despite him? Presumably he played a large part in that much-vaunted unbeaten run. 

[benjii]

1 minute ago, Whitey Grandad said:

"The worst" by what measure? 

By results? We got promoted despite him? Presumably he played a large part in that much-vaunted unbeaten run. 

By scientific measure.

[Whitey Grandad]

Just now, benjii said:

By scientific measure.

That's one thing that it isn't. Any statistical analysis will at least publish a confidence interval.

[Hopper]

The ability of this forum to lump on Gav... even in a (mostly) unrelated transfer thread, is unmatched.

Edited Saturday at 11:17 by Hopper

[Osvaldorama]

3 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

"The worst" by what measure? 

By results? We got promoted despite him? Presumably he played a large part in that much-vaunted unbeaten run. 

The worst by most stats. 
 

Yes, we got promoted despite him. And Martin. 
 

[benjii]

Just now, Whitey Grandad said:

That's one thing that it isn't. Any statistical analysis will at least publish a confidence interval.

It's not predictive.

[hypochondriac]

Does it matter if he was the worst or just pretty crap? Two seasons ago he was pretty crap and the metric I used to come to that decision is my own eyes. This season he appear improved but it's only been three games and I am concerned about having to rely on him all season if things start going wrong.