Summer Transfer Window 2026

[VectisSaint]

1 hour ago, sockeye said:

Insane signing.

I suggest the important point is whether he has accepted.

Don't believe for one moment that this would have happened if there was any mileage in the FA "investigation" of his being "bullied". More signs to me that nothing is going to happen and that the club already know where they stand with the FA. Hope I'm not proved wrong.

[HarvSFC]

Showcasing the weird narrative from the media in prolonging and dragging this story out, as Dragan Solak said we've offered him a position at the club in his interview a month ago.

 

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

He's a grown adult. I still don't agree that he was some wide eyed innocent just following orders. 

He was very obviously being pressured into doing something he wasn't comfortable with, as was made clear by some of the messages being released. Where the line is in vocabulary between 'coercive behaviour' and 'bullying' is all semantics but it's very obvious why Tonda might be facing a ban and not Will Salt.

[Oldandtired]

..a permanent job, a better pair of binoculars and an iPhone upgrade.

[hypochondriac]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

He was very obviously being pressured into doing something he wasn't comfortable with, as was made clear by some of the messages being released. Where the line is in vocabulary between 'coercive behaviour' and 'bullying' is all semantics but it's very obvious why Tonda might be facing a ban and not Will Salt.

Not sure I ever suggested will salt should be facing any sort of ban. I'm sure there are shades of grey in all this though rather than black and white Tonda evil and will salt the Archangel Gabriel.

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

He was very obviously being pressured into doing something he wasn't comfortable with, as was made clear by some of the messages being released. Where the line is in vocabulary between 'coercive behaviour' and 'bullying' is all semantics but it's very obvious why Tonda might be facing a ban and not Will Salt.

I think there is distinction to be made between him imagining that he was expected to go on the trip to Boro and to not make a fuss, and there actually being any form of direct bullying from anyone in the coaching team. Is there enough evidence that indicates that he had an option to complain and not go? As far as I remember most of the pressure reportedly came from the chief scout and not Tonda as such, who just sanctioned the trip. Now if it’s shown that the culture in the club was not right leading to Salt being scared to complain then that’s a corporate culture issue…not necessarily Tonda’s alone, but the club has received substantial punishment already. My gut feeling is the FA involvement is to ensure going forward that corporate procedures are improved, including perhaps an anonymous whistleblower hotline to an independent arbitrator for example (not uncommon in the modern business world). This might explain the time it’s taken to verify that the preventive action is in place.

[Challenger]

When Solak said in his apology vid that he was going to all out to nail promotion this coming season, Will Salt was not the type of signing I had in mind.

[Weston Super Saint]

52 minutes ago, Challenger said:

When Solak said in his apology vid that he was going to all out to nail promotion this coming season, Will Salt was not the type of signing I had in mind.

Have you seen Will Salt this summer?

Exactly, spying level increased to 100!  This is a game changer.

[Gloucester Saint]

17 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Have you seen Will Salt this summer?

Exactly, spying level increased to 100!  This is a game changer.

Certainly worth his salt….

[Football Special]

On 10/07/2026 at 14:26, Saint86 said:

if they gave up on a young striker after half a season in a new country/league, it would be a pretty damning indictment all around.

Especially when they have invested the £7M transfer fee in him, costly mistake for a championship club , has to be in our interests as well as Downs to try to get him going if thats at all possible. Those of us who saw him play last season would doubt it, but he can't have always been that bad can he. 

 

[swedish dave]

21 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Especially when they have invested the £7M transfer fee in him, costly mistake for a championship club , has to be in our interests as well as Downs to try to get him going if thats at all possible. Those of us who saw him play last season would doubt it, but he can't have always been that bad can he. 

 

.....even if he did well and scored in the German second league, the last season was disappointing to say the least

BUT maybe his limited game time on loan will have taught him something, even if he didn't get on the score sheet.

There must be a footballer in there somewhere, perhaps getting gametime alongside Larin may be of benefit. 

[SuperSAINT]

 

[ally_uk]

4 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Happy with this if true 👍 fair play 

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

Happy with this if true 👍 fair play 

Slightly worried it means Scienza is off.

[SuperSAINT]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Slightly worried it means Scienza is off.

My thoughts exactly. Don’t think Dobbin plays centrally as a rule.

Edited 12 hours ago by SuperSAINT

[Willo of Whiteley]

18 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

First thought - it’s from The Athletic - I’m surprised they haven’t found a way to slag us off over this deal.

Secondly, it doesn’t necessarily mean Leo Scienza if off.

Squad depth is needed, and wide players, effective wide players were in short supply last season.

[Football Special]

22 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Not a player I've noticed , is he a left winger then? 

[CSA96]

 

[Stu Man Do]

Didn’t Solak say we were looking for someone to take the pressure off of Azaz? 
 

Hopefully we keep hold of Scienza as well as he’s likely to improve again this season with better fitness.

[Gloucester Saint]

20 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

My thoughts exactly. Don’t think Dobbin plays centrally as a rule.

Says here either flank or shadow striker but don’t know how accurate this site is https://onefootball.com/de/news/southampton-eye-lewis-dobbin-as-tonda-eckert-seeks-another-leo-scienza-style-spark-43125012

[CSA96]

I saw Preston fans chatting about him late in the season and they were saying he was at his best when he was playing in the space behind a striker who could hold the ball up. Loves to make runs in behind or attempt a shot from the edge of the box. They felt he was more effective as an AM or coming off the left

Edited 12 hours ago by CSA96

[Willo of Whiteley]

13 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Not a player I've noticed , is he a left winger then? 

He can play anywhere across the three positions behind the striker but has predominantly been a left winger.

He would immediately be an upgrade on Sam Edozie or Jay Robinson.

Edited 12 hours ago by Willo of Whiteley

[Pilchards]

I certainly see him as an option in the Azaz position. Also someone who can come off the bench when Scienza gets tired.

Edozie IMHO should be moved on as he’s hit and miss. 

[trousers]

12 minutes ago, Stu Man Do said:

Didn’t Solak say we were looking for someone to take the pressure off of Azaz? 

He did indeed, and this fella seems to fit the bill?

Edited 12 hours ago by trousers

[Pilchards]

Been watching some of the Preston goals from last season. He’s that great option to play off Larin. Got great speed plus is an assist machine.

10 goals, 8 assists.

[Draino78]

Saints are getting the players in, to hit the ground running - Dragan is a man of his word to be fair 😊

Edited 12 hours ago by Draino78

[Turkish]

Going to be great playing off Downs picking up all those headers he wins, good to see the club finally building a team around him

[hypochondriac]

17 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

He can play anywhere across the three positions behind the striker but has predominantly been a left winger.

He would immediately be an upgrade on Sam Edozie or Jay Robinson.

And a downgrade on Scienza if we're being cynical. 9 million is a heck of a chunk of change to spend if he's an upgrade on Edozie or Robinson given that both were fringe players last season. 

[revolution saint]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

And a downgrade on Scienza if we're being cynical. 9 million is a heck of a chunk of change to spend if he's an upgrade on Edozie or Robinson given that both were fringe players last season. 

Agree with this.  9M ain't the kind of money you drop on someone unless they're pretty much a guaranteed starter.

[CB Fry]

I believe I am right in saying this is the first player we have had on our books that shares a name with a character from Rentaghost.

[Turkish]

5 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I believe I am right in saying this is the first player we have had on our books that shares a name with a character from Rentaghost.

We had young goalkeeper Harry Lewis for a while and also Lewis Paine, but we've not had many Lewis's in the first team. Was Lew Chatterley a Lewis? Probably the first ever coach to be named after a Rentaghost character AND an unhappy married aristocrat neglected by her husband.

Edited 12 hours ago by Turkish

[Dman]

7 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

And a downgrade on Scienza if we're being cynical. 9 million is a heck of a chunk of change to spend if he's an upgrade on Edozie or Robinson given that both were fringe players last season. 

I think he offers something very different to Scienza and Azaz.

If we're honest, Scienza faded towards the end of the season probably due to the fact he was knackered and sides had worked out just to stick 2 men on him. Azaz we've seen can go missing and blows hot and cold. 

If we can bring someone in who can cover both positions (and we've seen Tonda was brilliant at rotating last season), whilst offering us something a little different (i.e pace and directness on the counter attack), I think its a decent bit of buinsess tbh. 

Essentially the same as signing 2 players for 4.5m for a left wing cover and no10 cover. 

[LiberalCommunist]

Rentaghost.

---------------

Now there's something I have given no thought to for over 40 years, but now I'm strangely intrigued to find footage of. I thought that zaniness might well have been some psychedelic mushroom trip of my teenage years, but it turns out it was just a tv show from a time before that. Side note, that horse had some moves! 

[hypochondriac]

Just now, Dman said:

I think he offers something very different to Scienza and Azaz.

If we're honest, Scienza faded towards the end of the season probably due to the fact he was knackered and sides had worked out just to stick 2 men on him. Azaz we've seen can go missing and blows hot and cold. 

If we can bring someone in who can cover both positions (and we've seen Tonda was brilliant at rotating last season), whilst offering us something a little different (i.e pace and directness on the counter attack), I think its a decent bit of buinsess tbh. 

Essentially the same as signing 2 players for 4.5m for a left wing cover and no10 cover. 

we're not spending 9 million as a championship club on cover. He will be starting IMO. The only question is who he will start in place of. 

[hypochondriac]

Preston fans seem very complimentary though and describe him as a fantastic talent so that's promising. 

[bangkoksaint]

Hope he’s not a cart horse……

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, bangkoksaint said:

Hope he’s not a cart horse……

Or a donkey

[bangkoksaint]

Ah yes, of course!! They look similar 

[Saint Garrett]

21 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

And a downgrade on Scienza if we're being cynical. 9 million is a heck of a chunk of change to spend if he's an upgrade on Edozie or Robinson given that both were fringe players last season. 

Hmm is it these days?! Avg prem players go for a minimum of £40-50m these days. It's not sustainable, but Azaz was what, £14m?, Sindre Walle Egeli singed for Ipswich last summer for ~£20m, Tresor signed for Burnley for £18m a few seasons ago, transfers are just a crazy business these days.

[Matty's Caddy]

19 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I believe I am right in saying this is the first player we have had on our books that shares a name with a character from Rentaghost.

 

20 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I believe I am right in saying this is the first player we have had on our books that shares a name with a character from Rentaghost.

We were allegedly close to signing claypole Blackmore from Man Utd many moons ago…..

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Matty's Caddy said:

 

We were allegedly close to signing claypole Blackmore from Man Utd many moons ago…..

If only Ivelin Popov had got his work permit approved 

[Turkish]

And how could we forget about Calum Davenport!!

[hypochondriac]

16 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

Hmm is it these days?! Avg prem players go for a minimum of £40-50m these days. It's not sustainable, but Azaz was what, £14m?, Sindre Walle Egeli singed for Ipswich last summer for ~£20m, Tresor signed for Burnley for £18m a few seasons ago, transfers are just a crazy business these days.

He was 12 rising to 15 I believe. This transfer would maybe be in the top 20 of all time. I accept that transfers are only going up but I can't see us spending 9 million plus addons (maybe rising to 12?) for a backup. 

[samhammond]

Appreciate it's the reason that thread was created, but worth putting these comments here imo.

Have to assume he is going to be viewed as an alternative to Azaz, and someone to play off of Larin.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

42 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

we're not spending 9 million as a championship club on cover. He will be starting IMO. The only question is who he will start in place of. 

Not necessarily are a starter, but might signal the end of Archer if he does sign.

[Gloucester Saint]

33 minutes ago, Turkish said:

And how could we forget about Calum Davenport!!

Certainly not the bloke jailed for stabbing him in the legs.

[Gloucester Saint]

5 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Not necessarily are a starter, but might signal the end of Archer if he does sign.

Very good point, wasn’t it indicated on here that Archer was looking to move on? 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

22 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Very good point, wasn’t it indicated on here that Archer was looking to move on? 

Wasn't he close to joining Rangers in the January window? Possibly their interest might be still be there

[Matty's Caddy]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

If only Ivelin Popov had got his work permit approved 

Much better than mine…..although also showing your age

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, Draino78 said:

Saints are getting the players in, to hit the ground running - Dragan is a man of his word to be fair 😊

If that’s the case - what’s not to like?