Summer Transfer Window 2026

[LegalEagle]

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

[bangkoksaint]

1 minute ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

Absolutely. Saturday is a really important game for us. Lose and we become even more unattractive to potential signings and with that the autos get more difficult. Personally I think by the end of the season Tonder wont be here and it'll sink in how catastrophic his decisions were last season. Maybe not a popular view and I hope I'm proved wrong

[Disco Stu]

5 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

With our squad, if we mess up top 8 because of a 4 point deduction, it's been a very poor season. We should achieve that with any competent manager.

Edited 6 hours ago by Disco Stu

[Baird of the land]

55 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Summary

Southampton incoming transfer update — 20 August 2026

Priority need: Central midfielder to replace Shea Charles remains the clear focus; Daily Echo (Alfie House, 19 Aug) says nothing imminent and it could slip later in the window.

Always good to know that priorities aren't imminently being addressed

[Teamsaint1]

4 minutes ago, bangkoksaint said:

Absolutely. Saturday is a really important game for us. Lose and we become even more unattractive to potential signings and with that the autos get more difficult. Personally I think by the end of the season Tonder wont be here and it'll sink in how catastrophic his decisions were last season. Maybe not a popular view and I hope I'm proved wrong

What makes us attractive or otherwise  to players is the digits in front of the three 000s on the weekly pay packet, and the length of contract.

[Lighthouse]

6 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

This squad should be top four, even with the points deduction. There's absolutely no way I'd be happy finishing seventh with the players we have available. For reference the team in eighth place last year (Derby) was fifteen points off the autos, that is absolutely not acceptable for the amount of money we've spent.

[Polaroid Saint]

15 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

Agree to a very large extent.

With the various clouds over us, we were not going to continue the momentum from last year. But have also done remarkably well (so far) to keep the bones of the team together. 

I suspect that the club, and in particular Dragon, recognise this and feel if we can don't get completely wiped out the first half of the season, we can refocus and potentially rebuild a little in January.

I suspect, even if we lose another couple of key players, that we are still good enough not to completely collapse from a footballing perspective AND survive a probable Tonda ban.

Then take a shot at the ridiculous 6 team play off second half of the season.

This will also likely mean that even if we don't do it this season we will be one of the best placed teams to go up 27/28 (as we will be financially sorted, according to Dragon, by then and able to be more than competitive without parachute payments).

So, yeah, this window is about consolidation and trimming the squad in order to compete 'enough' until January.

Frustrating, but might make a lot of sense for the club medium to long term. 

 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Polaroid Saint

[Badger]

7 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

Agree to a point. But:

After West Ham/Wolves I’d say we’re up there as one of the more attractive and ambitious clubs in the division (same can be said for Middlesbrough with their new found wealth).

The points deduction could - and should - be overcome fairly quickly. (The longer it isn’t then the more of an albatross it becomes, and as said above need a win tomorrow to show progress in the last week of the window).

The manager situation does give me some concern and no doubt our immediate competitors are banging this drum to agents. Hope Tonda remains but out of our (supporters) hands.

I’d expect top eight without any further additions (and no major departures). 

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

This squad should be top four, even with the points deduction. There's absolutely no way I'd be happy finishing seventh with the players we have available. For reference the team in eighth place last year (Derby) was fifteen points off the autos, that is absolutely not acceptable for the amount of money we've spent.

Exactly. We've still bought in Larin, Peretz and Dobbin already and while not spending premier league sums, there's a lot of championship teams that could not afford these players.

I'm counting down the days to the end of the transfer window and if we've still held on to THB, Scienza & Jander, then I think we're in for a good season.

[hypochondriac]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

This squad should be top four, even with the points deduction. There's absolutely no way I'd be happy finishing seventh with the players we have available. For reference the team in eighth place last year (Derby) was fifteen points off the autos, that is absolutely not acceptable for the amount of money we've spent.

Agreed. You could make an argument for Boro and the three promoted teams to finish above us but really we should be above every other team and anything less is an underperformance.

[egg]

24 minutes ago, Matty's Caddy said:

Apart from the assist on Saturday you mean?

That doesn't address the point that was being made. Sure, he got an assist. For the rest of the game he was largely anonymous. Controlling midfield is vital. Bragg doesn't do that. 

[Saint Scott]

Just now, egg said:

That doesn't address the point that was being made. Sure, he got an assist. For the rest of the game he was largely anonymous. Controlling midfield is vital. Bragg doesn't do that. 

I agree, you completely forget Bragg is even playing most of the time. The comparisons to Will Smallbone are probably his ceiling currently, but i'm hoping he can kick on this year and find another level.

[saintwbu]

Personally Sunday was the first bad game i’ve seen Bragg have - was brilliant against Charlton, Arsenal and Man City last season. Not sure him and Downes as a combo is particularly effective but when he’s been allowed to just sit at the base and dictate the game I think he’s looked great, especially considering his lack of experience. 

[Saint_lambden]

The reality on incomings is simply that we need to offload some more dead wood before we can press ahead with incomings as some of those here are on big wages having signed in the PL days. We can only register 25 senior players and we don't want situations like with Edozie, Aribo etc. in the first half of last season where they're just training and picking up a hefty wage for not actually playing. 

When you look at the likes of Wolves, West Ham and Boro, whilst their first XIs are very strong for this level - beyond that they are very light in terms of depth whereas we're still suffering from bloating the squad with quantity over quality in successive transfer windows 2/3/4/5 years ago. 

Ramsdale and Bazunu (both hopefully buy but most likely loan), Quarshie (loan), Larios, Kay Sanda, Sugawara, BBD, Downs and possibly Edozie and Archer all need shifting which is a huge task individually as well as collectively. 

Then you're looking at a 3rd GK, CB (or two if THB goes on top of the above), CM to replace Charles, another LW if Edozie goes and a striker to come in (they're still pursuing Ratkov so I don't believe the noise that we're done on that front). 

A busy final couple of weeks to the window if we really want to get the squad to where we want/need it to be which doesn't help start the season well - added to the cloud over the manager - so we need a win on Saturday and to get to positive points ASAP in the meantime. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Saint_lambden

[revolution saint]

8 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

Personally Sunday was the first bad game i’ve seen Bragg have - was brilliant against Charlton, Arsenal and Man City last season. Not sure him and Downes as a combo is particularly effective but when he’s been allowed to just sit at the base and dictate the game I think he’s looked great, especially considering his lack of experience. 

Yeah, I missed the game on Sunday and sounds like he had a bad game but I've been impressed with him up until now.  This time last season it was Downes getting stick, Charles had a terrible game up at Bristol City a few seasons ago, bad games happen.  I wouldn't be playing Bragg ahead of Downes or Jander if both fit but he's done a good enough job for me to be a decent squad player.  

Edited 6 hours ago by revolution saint

[Toussaint]

43 minutes ago, LegalEagle said:

I think guys we need to get a bit of realism here. Whether we like it or not we are not a massively attractive option right now. We’re bottom of the league and 7 points off the top two after one game. Our manager could still be banned or suspended. I think we’ve done remarkably well to hang on to most of what we had last season. I expected a huge exodus this summer and that hasn’t happened with just over a week to go until the transfer window shuts. I see this season as a consolidation year. If we get a top 8 place we would have done well.

Why was it unrealistic to take Dragan at his word? What would a consolidation season achieve and what would we be consolidating, our status as a championship side?  Where I do agree is that is how the season is shaping up, but I don’t agree it’s what was to be expected. I also think we need to reserve judgment until we see who we have “hung on to” when the window closes. For what it’s worth I’m not disagreeing with you per se, as it’s stands right now I’m both disappointed and frustrated, could all be different with a win on Sunday and a bolstered squad before the window shuts. I keep saying it, but Ross and Shea are big losses, the second half of last seas when Ross was fit he was instrumental in our success. 

[lambtiss]

10 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

The Feyenoord CB we've been linked with has supposedly joined Burnley pending a medical, according to the Dutch press.

Another to cross off the list.

Burnley want Anel more than we do? 

[Saint86]

Personally think it's a bit like moving house at the moment. We did get some good business done early, but now we need to sell players to get further additions (and the club have been open about the desire to shift a lot of players), and we are stuck waiting in the general malaise where other clubs need to make their moves to unjam the chain - still think we'll get 1-2 more players.

It's easy to attach negativity to this, and fret about the impact of the -4points or potential Tonda sanction, but end of the day, players come here for a good pay cheque, to develop, and to have a shot at the premier league or get themselves a bigger move in a few years... Saints tick all those boxes comfortably for this division... And if we weren't attractive we wouldn't have signed Peretz (best keeper in the league), Larin, or dobbin.

I recall as well that last summer had a similar feeling before we cleared house and then got in the quartet at the end of the window.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Saint86

[leesaint88]

15 minutes ago, lambtiss said:

Burnley want Anel more than we do? 

Seems like they are willing to pay quickly to obtain those brown wings..

[swedish dave]

1 hour ago, bangkoksaint said:

Absolutely. Saturday is a really important game for us. Lose and we become even more unattractive to potential signings and with that the autos get more difficult. Personally I think by the end of the season Tonder wont be here and it'll sink in how catastrophic his decisions were last season. Maybe not a popular view and I hope I'm proved wrong

I was at St. Mary's to see that fixture last season.  We had 65% possession and 18 shots to their 12.

Stoke didn't look that good on the day, but we made defensive errors and gifted them the game ...losing 1-2

Can't afford those sort of errors again, and the shambles at Watford didn't inspire on the first game of the season.

[Badger]

1 minute ago, swedish dave said:

I was at St. Mary's to see that fixture last season.  We had 65% possession and 18 shots to their 12.

Stoke didn't look that good on the day, but we made defensive errors and gifted them the game ...losing 1-2

Can't afford those sort of errors again, and the shambles at Watford didn't inspire on the first game of the season.

They also had a GK that made saves, something we lacked for half a season.

Johansen made a good save from THB that would have drawn us level when they were down to 10 men (some stupid bastard sent off after diving. Wonder what happened to him after)

Agree about Watford. 

 

[Give it to Ron]

6 minutes ago, swedish dave said:

I was at St. Mary's to see that fixture last season.  We had 65% possession and 18 shots to their 12.

Stoke didn't look that good on the day, but we made defensive errors and gifted them the game ...losing 1-2

Can't afford those sort of errors again, and the shambles at Watford didn't inspire on the first game of the season.

It was more we had a keeper that can’t save any shot that’s across him, Thomas goal was terrible positioning and typical of one conceded last year.

[swedish dave]

41 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

Personally Sunday was the first bad game i’ve seen Bragg have - was brilliant against Charlton, Arsenal and Man City last season. Not sure him and Downes as a combo is particularly effective but when he’s been allowed to just sit at the base and dictate the game I think he’s looked great, especially considering his lack of experience. 

Was he that bad ?. I thought he did well given the circumstances, although Downes did show up well (IMO)

but still managed to pick up his statutory yellow card.  A rule he hasn't leaned yet ...Getting booked for a foul

may be expected,  but squaring up to an opponent, or (worse) arguing with a referee is a sure-fire booking.

I wouldn't condemn Bragg on the basis of one game, there were other (more experienced ) who did far worse. 

[Winnersaint]

41 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Yeah, I missed the game on Sunday and sounds like he had a bad game but I've been impressed with him up until now.  This time last season it was Downes getting stick, Charles had a terrible game up at Bristol City a few seasons ago, bad games happen.  I wouldn't be playing Bragg ahead of Downes or Jander if both fit but he's done a good enough job for me to be a decent squad player.  

And Jander had an absolute shocker away at Leicester in the first half.

[saintwbu]

2 minutes ago, swedish dave said:

Was he that bad ?. I thought he did well given the circumstances, although Downes did show up well (IMO)

but still managed to pick up his statutory yellow card.  A rule he hasn't leaned yet ...Getting booked for a foul

may be expected,  but squaring up to an opponent, or (worse) arguing with a referee is a sure-fire booking.

I wouldn't condemn Bragg on the basis of one game, there were other (more experienced ) who did far worse. 

I thought he struggled, got the ball nicked off him a few times. Did well for the goal but other than that I thought he was a bit off the pace and the midfield lacked control. 

[Baird of the land]

1 hour ago, revolution saint said:

Yeah, I missed the game on Sunday and sounds like he had a bad game but I've been impressed with him up until now.  This time last season it was Downes getting stick, Charles had a terrible game up at Bristol City a few seasons ago, bad games happen.  I wouldn't be playing Bragg ahead of Downes or Jander if both fit but he's done a good enough job for me to be a decent squad player.  

Both were bad first half. My main problem 2nd half was that with exception of the goal neither wanted anything to do with running with the ball that the likes of Charles offered. Both wanted to the DM recycler and Downes stood out defensively.

[Badger]

33 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

It was more we had a keeper that can’t save any shot that’s across him, Thomas goal was terrible positioning and typical of one conceded last year.

Stephens almost shepherding him from the halfway line without ever looking like making a challenge didn’t help matters. 

[SNSUN]

1 hour ago, lambtiss said:

Burnley want Anel more than we do? 

THB could have a better partner if we gave him Anel. Shame we're set to lose out on him and now all we have to offer is Jack. Unless we take Jack off and give him Wood. 

[Rebel]

Bragg did't have a great game but he wasn't all bad - he did set up Larin's goal.  His passing was off and he seemed to lack a bit of physicality.  But then that was true of most of the team.  They just didn't seem to be at it for some reason. I blame poor pre-season for that.

I am more than happy for Bragg to be one of our CM/DMs and he will have more good games than bad. 

But I do think we need to replace Charles (another 8 to cover Jander) and add another midfielder who is a bit more defensive and physical. 

There are going be games when Downes is injured or suspended and relying on Jander (if he is still here) and Bragg would make us look a bit lighweight in the middle.

Maybe we will get lucky and replace Charles with someone like him who could play 6, 8 and 10 but I doubt it.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

3 hours ago, Pilchards said:

Because he’s good in the changing room!!

He knows how to win the toss plus loves to shape the team on the pitch.

It’s just a shame he can’t play football very well.

It's funny he has one bad game and the knives all come out for sharpening. He was outstanding in our final half of the season earlier in the year but that quickly gets forgotten.

[tdmickey3]

5 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

It's funny he has one bad game and the knives all come out for sharpening. He was outstanding in our final half of the season earlier in the year but that quickly gets forgotten.

He wasn't outstanding at all, he just made fewer mess ups... 

[Saint86]

13 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

It's funny he has one bad game and the knives all come out for sharpening. He was outstanding in our final half of the season earlier in the year but that quickly gets forgotten.

Had forgotten what our fans can be like tbh. 1 defeat and we seem to be going straight back to digging out certain players and hyper focusing any negative facet of their games, social media posts on turning St Mary's toxic if we lose to stoke, and calls for the manger to be sacked. Utterly mental - think some people are forgetting just how bad the atmosphere was at St Mary's for multiple seasons - put spy gate to one side, and we've had a fantastic 2026 - all the fans need to stick behind the team and make sure we don't let go of the atmosphere last season created... We surely didn't stick with tonda just to throw everything in the bin after a poor 45min in the opening game 🤦‍♂️

[revolution saint]

We probably need a poll on this years whipping boy because at the moment, collectively, we're all over the place.  I've seen some blaming Dobbin, some Bragg and others Stephens.  I didn't see the Watford game so it's hard for me to judge but I don't want to go Saturday and find myself booing the wrong player.

[Baird of the land]

11 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

We probably need a poll on this years whipping boy because at the moment, collectively, we're all over the place.  I've seen some blaming Dobbin, some Bragg and others Stephens.  I didn't see the Watford game so it's hard for me to judge but I don't want to go Saturday and find myself booing the wrong player.

Thought it was still Downs

[Challenger]

9 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

We probably need a poll on this years whipping boy because at the moment, collectively, we're all over the place.  I've seen some blaming Dobbin, some Bragg and others Stephens.  I didn't see the Watford game so it's hard for me to judge but I don't want to go Saturday and find myself booing the wrong player.

What shall be the criteria, cock ups, doing fuck all , bad attitude, head elsewhere ?

 

[revolution saint]

1 minute ago, Baird of the land said:

Thought it was still Downs

Nah, you can't really have someone who doesn't play.  That probably rules out Fellows as well.

[Cuddles]

2 minutes ago, Challenger said:

What shall be the criteria, cock ups, doing fuck all , bad attitude, head elsewhere ?

 

Being a bit "Paul Telfer"

[coalman]

34 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

It's funny he has one bad game and the knives all come out for sharpening. He was outstanding in our final half of the season earlier in the year but that quickly gets forgotten.

I think Stephens has always had those kind of mistakes in him. It's why he needs to be playing with vocal players who are going to shout at him. The no look punt for their first goal and failure to pressure the winger for the second were things we've seen before (and will see again). He also struggles against big physical attackers which played into Watford's gameplan of sitting back and hitting us on the break. That being said, when paired with someone who'll push him he's competent.

I don't think he's captain material because he's not a leader on the pitch. Leaders don't switch off and ball watch. Would much rather Peretz got the armband.

[saintwbu]

34 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

He wasn't outstanding at all, he just made fewer mess ups... 

Disagree completely - the drop off in our defensive quality when Wood came in for him when he got injured was clear as day. Not sure we kept a single clean sheet and think we trailed in almost every game at one point. 

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, coalman said:

I think Stephens has always had those kind of mistakes in him. It's why he needs to be playing with vocal players who are going to shout at him. The no look punt for their first goal and failure to pressure the winger for the second were things we've seen before (and will see again). 

How does that help?

Leadership isn't shouting

[coalman]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

How does that help?

Leadership isn't shouting

Never said it was. Good work arguing against a point someone hasn't made (again).

To help you - if a defender is watching a winger run unopposed into the box to shoot I would expect the captain to be shouting at them to go out and meet them. If that defender is the captain it doesn't work too well.

[Greenridge]

8 minutes ago, saintwbu said:

Disagree completely - the drop off in our defensive quality when Wood came in for him when he got injured was clear as day. Not sure we kept a single clean sheet and think we trailed in almost every game at one point. 

Because Wood is not at Stephens level. And that's not a positive endorsement of Stephens btw. 

[Ken Tone]

1 hour ago, saintwbu said:

I thought he struggled, got the ball nicked off him a few times. Did well for the goal but other than that I thought he was a bit off the pace and the midfield lacked control. 

Think the problem wasn't Bragg. It was the formation,  nearly 4-2-4 at times, without our usual "number 10" in front of the middle 2. Looked much better when we moved Leo back to the left and put Azaz on. Don't understand why we didn't play Dobbin at number 10.

Tonda did this a few times last season too, putting Azaz wide instead of at number 10. Didn't seem to  work well to me , but tbf I suppose Tonda knows a bit more about tactics than I do! 😉

[Teamsaint1]

36 minutes ago, Ken Tone said:

Think the problem wasn't Bragg. It was the formation,  nearly 4-2-4 at times, without our usual "number 10" in front of the middle 2. Looked much better when we moved Leo back to the left and put Azaz on. Don't understand why we didn't play Dobbin at number 10.

Tonda did this a few times last season too, putting Azaz wide instead of at number 10. Didn't seem to  work well to me , but tbf I suppose Tonda knows a bit more about tactics than I do! 😉

I'm sure Tonda has reviewed the Bristol City home game where Azaz starting on the left ( why on earth ?!)  and a very poor start to the game  cost us very dear.

[Challenger]

5 minutes ago, Teamsaint1 said:

I'm sure Tonda has reviewed the Bristol City home game where Azaz starting on the left ( why on earth ?!)  and a very poor start to the game  cost us very dear.

We tend to pay for most mistakes one way or another, they keep happening though.

[revolution saint]

44 minutes ago, Ken Tone said:

Think the problem wasn't Bragg. It was the formation,  nearly 4-2-4 at times, without our usual "number 10" in front of the middle 2. Looked much better when we moved Leo back to the left and put Azaz on. Don't understand why we didn't play Dobbin at number 10.

Tonda did this a few times last season too, putting Azaz wide instead of at number 10. Didn't seem to  work well to me , but tbf I suppose Tonda knows a bit more about tactics than I do! 😉

Sometimes does feel like when managers get a full preseason under their belt after taking over mid season that they feel they have an opportunity to impose a preferred style or system and probably explains why the players in pre-season were talking about a lot of tactical work rather than fitness work.  Not really confined to Tonda as Ralph did it with that suicidal back line pushed up too high.  Hopefully Tonda isn't trying to be too clever and realises the things that stood us in good stead for most of last season.

[HarvSFC]

If only we knew someone who could get us in with https://www.transferroom.com/company/about-us to help us with selling our deadwood each summer.

[Wade Garrett]

1 hour ago, revolution saint said:

We probably need a poll on this years whipping boy because at the moment, collectively, we're all over the place.  I've seen some blaming Dobbin, some Bragg and others Stephens.  I didn't see the Watford game so it's hard for me to judge but I don't want to go Saturday and find myself booing the wrong player.

You can be objective about shit performances and not boo those players.

I've never booed any of our players despite thinking that some of them are garbage.

[Wade Garrett]

15 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Sometimes does feel like when managers get a full preseason under their belt after taking over mid season that they feel they have an opportunity to impose a preferred style or system and probably explains why the players in pre-season were talking about a lot of tactical work rather than fitness work.  Not really confined to Tonda as Ralph did it with that suicidal back line pushed up too high.  Hopefully Tonda isn't trying to be too clever and realises the things that stood us in good stead for most of last season.

Playing Scienza and Dobbin in the wrong positions stank of the manager trying to be too clever.

[Wade Garrett]

4 hours ago, Matty's Caddy said:

Apart from the assist on Saturday you mean?

A pass that any competent player should make.  He was anonymous apart from that and couldn't compete with their midfield.