Summer Transfer Window 2026

[Toussaint]

21 minutes ago, Cuddles said:

So based on yesterday, in your opinion, is our squad not good enough for the top spots? Because to me it looked like we didn't look fit or mentally alert enough.

I think we probably are fit enough, yesterday was probably a bit of complacency against a league two sides and a bit of rust. I’m pleased we got that first half, lethargic performance, out of the way. 

[gio1saints]

14 hours ago, Saint86 said:

What?! The actual are you smoking? 😆

From the moment we switched to a back 4, Peretz in goal, and had a target man up front, we averaged enough for 113points over a 46game season... Plus beat the English champions at home in the cup quarter final 😅.

I know the stats from last season as well. 
 

I think a good season is if we make playoffs. And IF we do that I’d imagine we’d be favourites. In other words 3rd best.Very Good chance we will but not a guarantee imo. 
 

However , to start from the basis that because if the end of last season performance we will roll over opponents this year , is NOT the team talk or fan talk that I think will add  to our chances. Treating Watford away like they stole our chance to EPL is a good tool because we will get nothing strolling into matches with a superiority complex.

Colchester were not easy and we could have conceded several times. In the championship we cannot give two goals start to every team…
 

 

[hypochondriac]

23 minutes ago, Cuddles said:

So based on yesterday, in your opinion, is our squad not good enough for the top spots? Because to me it looked like we didn't look fit or mentally alert enough.

It mostly looked to me like we were missing a CM in place of Matsuki (Jander and Bragg or the Charles replacement) and a striker (Larin or the Stewart replacement). 

[trousers]

25 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

It mostly looked to me like we were missing a CM in place of Matsuki (Jander and Bragg or the Charles replacement) and a striker (Larin or the Stewart replacement). 

We're also missing a 2nd keeper, assuming Ramsdale and Bazunu are off (surely Long isn't going to be our primary back up keeper?)

Edited 5 hours ago by trousers

[Convict Colony]

people forgot as well we didn't actually start playing well until Nov.

[hypochondriac]

8 minutes ago, trousers said:

We're also missing a 2nd keeper, assuming Ramsdale and Bazunu are off (surely Long isn't going to be our primary back up keeper?)

No I mean that is what we were missing when we played poorly during the actual match. The whole first half when we weren't good the lack of a better cm option next to Downes and the lack of a proper presence up front were the obvious things missing. A team of 

Peretz 

Bree THB Stephens Manning 

Matsuki/Fellows Downes Bragg/jander scienza 

Azaz/Dobbin 

Larin

Will perform much better 

 

[Wade Garrett]

Still think once Charles goes we need a CB, CM and CF.

Hopefully we can get Ramsdale and Bazunu off the books and get a new no.2 keeper as well.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Cuddles said:

So based on yesterday, in your opinion, is our squad not good enough for the top spots? Because to me it looked like we didn't look fit or mentally alert enough.

Disagree with this. It was another very hot day and our players looked in great nick and, with the possible exception of BBD, were full of running. The one thing that didn't concern me from watching the game was our fitness levels. 

We were rusty in certain aspects but our fitness and passing gradually allowed us to dominate them in the second half and secure a well deserved victory which was achieved relatively comfortably aside from a few flurries from them in the first half when Daniel did his stuff.

[sadoldgit]

In our unbeaten run last season there were plenty of games where we played poorly and on other days would have lost.  We were dreadful in the first play off game against Middlesbrough. The key to success is finding a way to dig out results when you aren’t at your best. We did that in the second half of last season and we did it yesterday.

[Saint86]

2 hours ago, Cuddles said:

Disagree. A non-competitive pre-season has left us looking rusty, but we have a great squad. West Ham, Wolves and Burnley will have a different looking squad by September.

I think we had a really good pre-season. They've all had good minutes without over doing it, and they all know the tactics (bar dobbin - who's looked good). Team looks in a find state going into the first game of the season.

[Chez]

56 minutes ago, trousers said:

We're also missing a 2nd keeper, assuming Ramsdale and Bazunu are off (surely Long isn't going to be our primary back up keeper?)

Long looked poor in the cup game I saw him play, so yes, but we aint signing another until those two depart. What keepers will be available by then is anyone's guess.

[Pilchards]

What a total waste of talent at Chelsea.

Delap & Latvia need moving on as they won’t get any game time at all.

Pretty sure we could spunk up 50% of their wages and bring them here on loan.

THAT’S PROMOTION RIGHT THERE!

[for_heaven's_Saint]

IMO the main attribute we need in a new striker is presence. We need someone who can win the ball in the air, pin defenders and be a nuisance, like Larin. There’s no point getting someone who’s a great finisher if they’re built like Adam Armstrong or Archer. Unfortunately BBD and Downs have neither presence nor finishing ability. 

[Wade Garrett]

2 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

What a total waste of talent at Chelsea.

Delap & Latvia need moving on as they won’t get any game time at all.

Pretty sure we could spunk up 50% of their wages and bring them here on loan.

THAT’S PROMOTION RIGHT THERE!

Not a fucking chance.

[Cuddles]

17 minutes ago, saintant said:

Disagree with this. It was another very hot day and our players looked in great nick and, with the possible exception of BBD, were full of running. The one thing that didn't concern me from watching the game was our fitness levels. 

We were rusty in certain aspects but our fitness and passing gradually allowed us to dominate them in the second half and secure a well deserved victory which was achieved relatively comfortably aside from a few flurries from them in the first half when Daniel did his stuff.

Yeah that's fair. I think for me it was more about misplaced passes and not getting into good positions, but then again I missed most of the second half.

The comment I was originally replying to talked about us not having a good enough squad to get near the top, and I disagree with that.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, Cuddles said:

Yeah that's fair. I think for me it was more about misplaced passes and not getting into good positions, but then again I missed most of the second half.

The comment I was originally replying to talked about us not having a good enough squad to get near the top, and I disagree with that.

We will be there or thereabouts no question. Whether we have enough to finish above Wolves and West Ham, who on paper have as strong as squads as us, is another matter. The points deduction isn't going to help. 

[benjii]

Was it me, or did Azaz look quicker than last season?

[DellBlockH]

I know this is the transfer thread, not the match thread, but as everybody else is commenting on  yesterday's game...

I thought we did what we did in quite a few games last season against an "inferior" team: kept possession, played out from the back and generally made them chase the ball. Then, when they were tiring, we brought on a proper striker, beefed up the midfield and attacked. Yes, there were one or two chances for them but we have to accept the risk of this sort of tactic.

But, I agree, we need a second striker.

[Toadhall Saint]

20 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Not a fucking chance.

Esp as we can’t afford to loan in a whole country 😉

[Saint Marky]

7 minutes ago, benjii said:

Was it me, or did Azaz look quicker than last season?

Not sure, could you remind me what time you came on and what was the number on your back? Cheers.

[Marsdinho]

Butland has picked up a long term injury for Hull. Could be out for up to 12 weeks. Wonder if they will look at Ramsdale?

[Gloucester Saint]

10 minutes ago, Marsdinho said:

Butland has picked up a long term injury for Hull. Could be out for up to 12 weeks. Wonder if they will look at Ramsdale?

CSR has reset so it could suit all parties. Probably another relegation for Aaron though!

[goodymatt]

 

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, benjii said:

Was it me, or did Azaz look quicker than last season?

Maybe relative to the latter part of the season when he was playing through injury?

[beatlesaint]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

What a total waste of talent at Chelsea.

Delap & Latvia need moving on as they won’t get any game time at all.

Pretty sure we could spunk up 50% of their wages and bring them here on loan.

THAT’S PROMOTION RIGHT THERE!

Even if we could Lavia makes Ross Stewart look like Superman in terms of fitness. 

[Dan Johnson]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

What a total waste of talent at Chelsea.

Delap & Latvia need moving on as they won’t get any game time at all.

Pretty sure we could spunk up 50% of their wages and bring them here on loan.

THAT’S PROMOTION RIGHT THERE!

Lavia played 90 mins in a friendly yesterday and was being raved about on social media, expect to see him play a big part under Alonso.

[Saint Scott]

7 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Lavia played 90 mins in a friendly yesterday and was being raved about on social media, expect to see him play a big part under Alonso.

Supposedly was also the first 90 minutes he has managed there. He has star potential but just cannot stay fit sadly

[SuperSAINT]

 

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

 

Am sorry to see him leave but it’s been on the cards for months and inevitable. Shame it wasn’t agreed a few weeks ago from our angle.

£30m isn’t a bad fee, depending on how structured. I like the sound of a sell on but hope we’ve secured 20-30% on this, the figures for Fernandes and Ballard seem pretty poor negotiating on our part. 

[The Kraken]

Very sorry to see him go, but inevitable once a PL club comes in. That sort of money also just can’t be turned down at our level. Given he’s only got a year left of his contract it’s a large fee.

[St Chalet]

I feel we do need one more CM option. As said on the Shea Charles thread our ability to rotate between 4 midfielders was crucial to the 2nd half of the season. 

Finn and Matsuki not the answer either.

[Badger]

Need a good proportion of the Charles fee on a proven CF now. 

[AlexLaw76]

A very good player and will probably remain in the top flight for many more years.

Great fee for Saints to be fair.

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, The Kraken said:

Very sorry to see him go, but inevitable once a PL club comes in. That sort of money also just can’t be turned down at our level. Given he’s only got a year left of his contract it’s a large fee.

He effectively has 2 years left on his contract, as the club has a one year extension option.

[The Kraken]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He effectively has 2 years left on his contract, as the club has a one year extension option.

Fair enough, gave a bit more leverage. Still a decent fee imo.

Will be interesting to see how he gets on.

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, Badger said:

Am sorry to see him leave but it’s been on the cards for months and inevitable. Shame it wasn’t agreed a few weeks ago from our angle.

£30m isn’t a bad fee, depending on how structured. I like the sound of a sell on but hope we’ve secured 20-30% on this, the figures for Fernandes and Ballard seem pretty poor negotiating on our part. 

Why? 

[BotleySaint]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

Need a good proportion of the Charles fee on a proven CF now. 

Yesterday showed if Larin gets injured our season is over. Another of equal or greater quality is needed. Someone at least as good a finisher as Stewart.

 

[Saint Scott]

9 minutes ago, Badger said:

Am sorry to see him leave but it’s been on the cards for months and inevitable. Shame it wasn’t agreed a few weeks ago from our angle.

£30m isn’t a bad fee, depending on how structured. I like the sound of a sell on but hope we’ve secured 20-30% on this, the figures for Fernandes and Ballard seem pretty poor negotiating on our part. 

Genuine question; is anything over a 15% sell on common place in football? 

I can't see us having 20/30% 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, The Kraken said:

Fair enough, gave a bit more leverage. Still a decent fee imo.

Will be interesting to see how he gets on.

I think it’s a decent fee too, a good player I think he’ll go on to do well but £30m is a lot of money for a player in a position where we have 3 other good options. It’s not like we’re losing a star player who we were completely dependent on. I expect us to replace him with a loan or young hungry guaranteed to improver and use the money to strength elsewhere 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Saint Scott said:

Genuine question; is anything over a 15% sell on common place in football? 

I can't see us having 20/30% 

It seems bizarre that getting 15% of 85m is seen as bad negotiations. Clubs aren’t just going to to bend over and give us 30% 😂

[SuperSAINT]

 

[LeG]

Anyone else have a feeling we are going to bring Chele back? Not ITK on our striker…just a hunch….

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Why? 

Wasn’t it only about 15% for Fernandes? I think we could and should have obtained a larger %.  Ballard was as I recall a free yet our sell on is less than 20%.
 

It seems an area of the deal that could be relatively easier to improve on, as from the buying clubs position it is not a guaranteed outlay they’re committed to at some future point. 

 

[goodymatt]

Significant sell-on clause. I expect that to be minimum 15% then?

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

Wasn’t it only about 15% for Fernandes? I think we could and should have obtained a larger %.  Ballard was as I recall a free yet our sell on is less than 20%.
 

It seems an area of the deal that could be relatively easier to improve on, as from the buying clubs position it is not a guaranteed outlay they’re committed to at some future point. 

 

It was 15% of £85m, that’s a great bit of business. I’m interested to know how we could have got better. We’ve just got best part of £1m for Ballard so covered all of this summers incoming transfers so far with these two poor bits of negotiating 😂

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Significant sell-on clause. I expect that to be minimum 15% then?

Anything less than 60% is poor negotiation 

[Badger]

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

It seems bizarre that getting 15% of 85m is seen as bad negotiations. Clubs aren’t just going to to bend over and give us 30% 😂

Do they want the player or not ?

That should put us in a reasonably good bargaining position on what is some notional add-on at some point in the future that may or may not be payable.

(Playing my MLG card on you, the % is usually  on the profit not the whole fee).

[Badger]

15 minutes ago, Saint Scott said:

Genuine question; is anything over a 15% sell on common place in football? 

I can't see us having 20/30% 

Pretty sure I’ve read Man City have had sell ons in that region in the past. And there was a rumour that Livramento was on a stepped % which increased the Chelsea % as the fee increased. 

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Anything less than 60% is poor negotiation 

If we can secure that then the same negotiator should look to sell Bazunu for £20m. 
 

 

[Whitey Grandad]

Sorry to see him leave but it was inevitable really.