Summer Transfer Window 2025/26

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, E_H_Saints said:

Calvin L becomes a free agent tomorrow, would he be a cheap option for next season.  Surely, he would take charge in that league.  

Probably the most unrealistic shout yet. It's not like Everton didn't want him to stay. He's injury prone for sure, but he's certainly upper PL quality and we're not on his radar, neither is he on ours. Cheap would also equate to more than Ramsdale is getting paid.

He'll get picked up by a prem team without breaking much sweat.

Edited yesterday at 12:42 by S-Clarke

[Wurzel]

1 hour ago, E_H_Saints said:

Calvin L becomes a free agent tomorrow, would he be a cheap option for next season.  Surely, he would take charge in that league.  

He would,  but  when it comes to Free Agents we are as likely to sign him as we are Ronaldo, Modric and Neymar - although I think we've already missed out on the first two (very Saintsy, we were too slow there 😂), the latter AFAIK is still available.

Edited yesterday at 13:26 by Wurzel

[Midfield_General]

Big Saints flag right in the middle of the front row of the crowd for the Libertines at the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury right now. 

Rod Stewart's on next. Did someone get mixed up and think it was Ross Stewart?  

[saints-til-i-die]

Any idea who this striker we are apparently negotiating with might be? 

[davefizzy14]

2 minutes ago, saints-til-i-die said:

Any idea who this striker we are apparently negotiating with might be? 

I think it could be Damion Downs.

[saints-til-i-die]

2 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

I think it could be Damion Downs.

Thanks. I heard rumours of two or three possibilities but can’t for the life of me find the other links.

[davefizzy14]

5 minutes ago, saints-til-i-die said:

Thanks. I heard rumours of two or three possibilities but can’t for the life of me find the other links.

There was a report saying we were in talks for him.

[Saintsarmy]

For Alfie to release the news of us in discussions with the ST Spors desperately wanted nearly 2 weeks ago now, can only assume they haven’t gone very well.. 

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, Saintsarmy said:

For Alfie to release the news of us in discussions with the ST Spors desperately wanted nearly 2 weeks ago now, can only assume they haven’t gone very well.. 

Could be awaiting visa and clearance? Some clubs announce subject to that but not always with Saints.

[Master Bates]

...

Edited 22 hours ago by Master Bates
Posted below

[Master Bates]

42 minutes ago, saints-til-i-die said:

Any idea who this striker we are apparently negotiating with might be? 

 

 

[Nolan]

6 minutes ago, Saintsarmy said:

For Alfie to release the news of us in discussions with the ST Spors desperately wanted nearly 2 weeks ago now, can only assume they haven’t gone very well.. 

or that the player is currently in the middle of the CONCACAF cup tournament, and his national team is due to play Costa Rica at midnight.

[Saintsarmy]

3 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Could be awaiting visa and clearance? Some clubs announce subject to that but not always with Saints.

Yeah just thought it would be strange for Solak and then Alfie to publicly put it out there if they weren’t confident it was going to be done asap at the point of talking (2 weeks ago) just want to see a starting number 9 in for a full pre season ideally

[Nolan]

2 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

 

 

Thats quite a coup.... getting that exclusive for his third post on X....

[Saintsarmy]

1 minute ago, Nolan said:

or that the player is currently in the middle of the CONCACAF cup tournament, and his national team is due to play Costa Rica at midnight.

Downs didn’t even make the squad in their last game so would be surprised if this mattered! A deal could still have been done if it was him and that was the case 

[SuperSAINT]

Just now, Nolan said:

Thats quite a coup.... getting that exclusive for his third post on X....

0 followers

[Nolan]

2 minutes ago, Saintsarmy said:

Downs didn’t even make the squad in their last game so would be surprised if this mattered! A deal could still have been done if it was him and that was the case 

 

[Kenilworthy59]

I guess we are on Sunderland's preferred buyers list

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

0 followers

Sunderland only just signed him permanently in January after being on loan. Unless they don’t think he’s quite PL-ready and he’s on a low wage even given promotion, I can’t see how it works? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Isidor

Mind you, Downs just won promotion to the Bundesliga albeit he wasn’t originally on loan to Koln!

[Weston Super Saint]

7 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Took get the money we’ve got for Sulemana and Onuachu after their beyond disastrous spells for the club is excellent. Yes it’s a loss on what we paid, but I think everyone else was half expecting us to get a fiver, max.

I do hope we start buying some established players with a bit of muscle and fight.

It's not necessarily a lose once amortisation is taken into account...

[ally_uk]

Fotos innodis innit, we have been after him a for a while. 

I reckon it's him or Shankland 

[samhammond]

2 hours ago, davefizzy14 said:

I think it could be Damion Downs.

Looks like it...

[goodymatt]

Damion Downs always felt like the target from Alfie’s chat with Solak. Spors and Lederer pick, just like Quashie. Gold cup means we can’t do the medical until it’s over, so makes sense that it’s dragged on. This quote makes it sounds like he’s keen to join:

Personally I like that we are signing a player that could be starting in the Bundesliga but isn’t a guarantee, so that opens the window for us to get him. His goals looked well varied from the Bundesliga website highlights. Have to hope it’s a gem rather than speculative signing. That’s where we are relying on Spors and Lederer’s knowledge of the German market.

Edited 19 hours ago by goodymatt

[Dusic]

6 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Damion Downs always felt like the target from Alfie’s chat with Solak. Spors and Lederer pick, just like Quashie. Gold cup means we can’t do the medical until it’s over, so makes sense that it’s dragged on. This quote makes it sounds like he’s keen to join:

Personally I like that we are signing a player that could be starting in the Bundesliga but isn’t a guarantee, so that opens the window for us to get him. His goals looked well varied from the Bundesliga website highlights. Have to hope it’s a gem rather than speculative signing. That’s where we are relying on Spors and Lederer’s knowledge of the German market.

I am slightly concerned that in the end he won't just agree a new deal with Koln seeing as they have been promoted and he played a decent part for them in their promotion season.

On the face of it, with a young, high potential player you would usually expect that to happen but would assume that Spors et al are obviously close to it and it must be a realistic deal or we surely wouldn't be pursuing it for so long.

Edited 19 hours ago by Dusic

[hypochondriac]

If it is downs then I hope he turns out to be great obviously but I have to be honest that on the face of it that's a pretty underwhelming signing as our main striker signing. Maybe we are saving the big quality move for our attacking midfielder. 

[Matthew Le God]

9 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

If it is downs then I hope he turns out to be great obviously but I have to be honest that on the face of it that's a pretty underwhelming signing as our main striker signing. Maybe we are saving the big quality move for our attacking midfielder. 

Top scorer for the best team in 2.Bundesliga last season, is not underwhelming for a Championship team.

[AlexLaw76]

7 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Top scorer for the best team in 2.Bundesliga last season, is not underwhelming for a Championship team.

That’s that then

[hypochondriac]

7 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Top scorer for the best team in 2.Bundesliga last season, is not underwhelming for a Chamx, zzpionship team.

Maybe not to you but it's all about opinions maybe I have higher standards. Just about reaching double figures in a league a fair bit weaker than the Championship isn't particularly exciting to me. Our attacking signings are really the ones we need to be top notch this season. Is this bloke better than Che Adams? I wouldn't say so on an initial impression but it is just first impressions so maybe he will be good. 

[Wade Garrett]

12 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Top scorer for the best team in 2.Bundesliga last season, is not underwhelming for a Championship team.

It is for me.

[Farmer Saint]

23 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

If it is downs then I hope he turns out to be great obviously but I have to be honest that on the face of it that's a pretty underwhelming signing as our main striker signing. Maybe we are saving the big quality move for our attacking midfielder. 

Who you expecting?

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Who you expecting?

I hate this question as it isn't my job to bring in the best possible players, that's for the club to do as they did pretty successfully last time in the Championship with the likes of THB and Downes, both of whom I felt at the time were exciting and ambitious signings-albeit loans with options to buy - not that that matters for the season. Think I've mentioned before I would have liked us to try to get Sargent but I also saw Tommy Conway a few times last season and he looked great. For me he would be a more exciting signing. Possibly Richard Kone as well although he was obviously in a weaker league. 

Edited 19 hours ago by hypochondriac

[Nolan]

6 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Maybe not to you but it's all about opinions maybe I have higher standards. Just about reaching double figures in a league a fair bit weaker than the Championship isn't particularly exciting to me. Our attacking signings are really the ones we need to be top notch this season. Is this bloke better than Che Adams? I wouldn't say so on an initial impression but it is just first impressions so maybe he will be good. 

a very muddied comparison. a better comparison is Club value of squad, and Koln are directly comparable to clubs the size of Stoke or Bristol City

 

 

[Danbert]

https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2025/southampton-submit-new-e8m-bid-for-koln-striker-damion-downs/

[HarvSFC]

I'm in the underwhelmed on the face of it camp. I've never seen him play, but the last few years have given me my own scar tissue regarding these type of transfers.

You just have to hope that the current recruitment team are capable of unearthing gems, unlike the old lot, and they're using their knowledge of Germany so far, which we always wanted Hasenhuttl to do.

With Downs, Archer and potentially Ballard, it's a young set of options with Stewart, who we can't rely on. Think we need another one to come in.

[hypochondriac]

Personally I'd like to see us use some of our financial superiority over almost every team in the league to bully them for some of their players. Teams like Norwich and Middlesbrough have some quality. I'd like to see us bring in some proven Championship performers. 

[SuperSAINT]

 

[RedWillie]

5 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Big Saints flag right in the middle of the front row of the crowd for the Libertines at the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury right now. 

Rod Stewart's on next. Did someone get mixed up and think it was Ross Stewart?  

Rather fitting that the saints flag disappeared after the libertines.  The old codgers set starts ( Rod stewart) ...and a B'mth flag has appeared!👴

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Almost certainly we won't accept that. 25 million maybe we would consider it. 

[pimpin4rizeal]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

Damion Downs always felt like the target from Alfie’s chat with Solak. Spors and Lederer pick, just like Quashie. Gold cup means we can’t do the medical until it’s over, so makes sense that it’s dragged on. This quote makes it sounds like he’s keen to join:

Personally I like that we are signing a player that could be starting in the Bundesliga but isn’t a guarantee, so that opens the window for us to get him. His goals looked well varied from the Bundesliga website highlights. Have to hope it’s a gem rather than speculative signing. That’s where we are relying on Spors and Lederer’s knowledge of the German market.

Does he really look any better then onuachu though . People are celebrating him and sully going but for me it weakens us and it’s as easy to bring in top players when you are in the championship 

[goodymatt]

2 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Does he really look any better then onuachu though . People are celebrating him and sully going but for me it weakens us and it’s as easy to bring in top players when you are in the championship 

I’m hoping Downs is better suited to Still’s football than Onuachu, who although would score goals at championship level in certain systems, is not a high intensity, pressing target man. We are trusting our new director of football and his team to identify the right players. At least it is a market they know very well, which makes it feel less speculative.

Sulemana has potential (will it ever arrive?), but that’s a decent fee on a player that we’ve given plenty of opportunities to, but hasn’t delivered. I’d rather cash in on him than some of our other desired players. Even though our new direction/style would have suited him more. End product/final decision making always seemed to be lacking for me.

[pimpin4rizeal]

2 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

I’m hoping Downs is better suited to Still’s football than Onuachu, who although would score goals at championship level in certain systems, is not a high intensity, pressing target man. We are trusting our new director of football and his team to identify the right players. At least it is a market they know very well, which makes it feel less speculative.

Sulemana has potential (will it ever arrive?), but that’s a decent fee on a player that we’ve given plenty of opportunities to, but hasn’t delivered. I’d rather cash in on him than some of our other desired players. Even though our new direction/style would have suited him more. End product/final decision making always seemed to be lacking for me.

Think sulemana was pretty much carrying our attack at the end of last season .. sure end product wasn’t really there but it not like anyone else was giving out end product either he did better then dibling .. it’s not like we will take the 18 m and buy a 18m replacement either it will probably get spent on upcoming gamble types that are not at all guaranteed to be better 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

It is for me.

Could finally be our replacement for Sekou Mara 

[Willo of Whiteley]

We need Championship proven players at a minimum.

If we’re pinning our promotion hopes on this Downs guy then that’s pretty underwhelming for a club that should be flexing same muscle. As a squad player fine, but go for someone ambitious like Evan Ferguson who is on the fringes in the Premier League.

You know full well if it was someone like Leeds they’d be going after fringe Premier League players at a minimum, going after the obvious.

We need to have the attitude of we’re the best in the division and we’re going after the title. 

 

[goodymatt]

38 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Think sulemana was pretty much carrying our attack at the end of last season .. sure end product wasn’t really there but it not like anyone else was giving out end product either he did better then dibling .. it’s not like we will take the 18 m and buy a 18m replacement either it will probably get spent on upcoming gamble types that are not at all guaranteed to be better 

Edozie cost €8m and has more output than Sulemana. We don’t need to buy an £18m player to replace him. Appreciate the gamble type signing concerns, SR have got it wrong most often but we can only hope Spors is making more informed and better suited decisions.

[woodsaint1]

8 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

We need Championship proven players at a minimum.

If we’re pinning our promotion hopes on this Downs guy then that’s pretty underwhelming for a club that should be flexing same muscle. As a squad player fine, but go for someone ambitious like Evan Ferguson who is on the fringes in the Premier League.

You know full well if it was someone like Leeds they’d be going after fringe Premier League players at a minimum, going after the obvious.

We need to have the attitude of we’re the best in the division and we’re going after the title. 

 

We already have Championship proven players throughout our squad, because guess what....they got us promoted before.

We need players who can do well in the Championship but can also make the step up to the PL should we get promoted. Clearly Spors and our scouts see this in Downs otherwise he wouldnt be a target.

As for Leeds, other than Joe Rodon from Spurs, they didnt sign any fringe PL players last summer. They worked with the squad who lost to us and added a few unknowns like Tanaka, Ramazani, Schmidt and even added Joe Rothwell. 

Lets just see where we are come the start of August. Although unlikely we could still have Fernandes, THB, Dibling and Ramsdale for all we know

[Bob60]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

Personally I'd like to see us use some of our financial superiority over almost every team in the league to bully them for some of their players. Teams like Norwich and Middlesbrough have some quality. I'd like to see us bring in some proven Championship performers. 

And if we get promoted we have all those championship players on multi year deal, what do we do then?

[Nolan]

If it is Downs we get a  target man who, though not quite as tall as Onuachu has a higher top speed, a better positional sense and better link play.

[hypochondriac]

23 minutes ago, Bob60 said:

And if we get promoted we have all those championship players on multi year deal, what do we do then?

We use the best ones who may be suitable for the prem or we replace them in the prem and use them as squad players or we sell them back to the championship to the teams who have just been relegated or we loan a couple out. Let's deal with the championship first and then have a proper plan if we ever get promoted again. 

Edited 17 hours ago by hypochondriac

[ErwinK1961]

1 hour ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Think sulemana was pretty much carrying our attack at the end of last season .. sure end product wasn’t really there but it not like anyone else was giving out end product either he did better then dibling .. it’s not like we will take the 18 m and buy a 18m replacement either it will probably get spent on upcoming gamble types that are not at all guaranteed to be better 

Fck me, what an accolade.

[Rowan Gorilla 5]

Other strikers previously linked include Fisnik Asllani and Cristian Shpendi, although this was a little while back.