Intrigued by the links that appeared today to the Wolfsburg defender. Suggests there is a plan for it Salisu doesn't sign a new contract. Or maybe regardless. I was actually slightly disappointed that Forest stole away Bade as he seemed another ABK type - tall, strong and quick. Caleta-Car seems a very different player - more of a ball playing defender. Definitely seems like he would work well in a three stepping forward and playing passes. Whether he plays in a two probably depends on the opposition
I think Bednarek has put insome good performances for Saints but, by the same token, I think that this transfer window has provided a much needed refresh to the squad. The move to Villa, albeit temporary, is a good one for him although I am not sure he is the kind of signing that is necessarily going to reverse their woes. Villa are in for a tough season. If anything, Jack Steohens' move to Bournemouth will be even more challenging for him. The only fly in the oinment is the fact that we have not signed a proven striker to augment the front line.
At the end of the day £8m for Caleta-Car is a bargain. We'll have received £1m loan fee or so for known quantity Bednarek and when he goes permanently it will probably be for £8m+. What a great summer. Can't say I think we've overpaid for anyone. I'm buzzing.
Its been a very positive transfer window. 100% agree LTL about Mara. We only had snippets so far, but he looks very good IMO. With Che doing a great job at the moment, it gives Mara time to get up to speed.
I think if we’d signed Mara on deadline day, rather than earlier, everyone would have said it was a 10/10 window.
Or if we hadn't gone in for Gakpo. That's where we lose half a mark for me (although no fault of ours). I just have that tinge of regret so can't give a 10.
Not sure if this is the right thread but apparently we weren’t even thinking about contracts until after the transfer window. So it will be interesting to see what happens there. That will play into the next two windows 2023: Djenepo Elyounoussi Walcott Redmond Caballero Smallbone 2024: Adams Salisu S. Armstrong Diallo McCarthy (apparently) Stephens (apparently) It wouldn’t be surprising if none of those extend - either not offered in the case of several or we can’t reach an agreement They’ll be more easing of the wage bill next summer with two of the top earners leaving. Potentially three with Elyounoussi You’d expect there is no way we push for a big money signing of lacroix with our current central defender list unless Salisu is not extending and not staying. Che Adams is the most interesting one. He would invariable want a pay rise especially given there seemed to be real interest in him from other premier league clubs who would certainly give it to him. But our links to Delap suggested the plan wasn’t necessarily for him to be first choice Djenepo and Diallo is going to depend on how their seasons go, how good the Man City left back is and maybe if we intend to permanently sign AMN. The return of Livramento will push him well down the list at left back and he hasn’t really shown evidence of a sudden improvement if use further forward. But might benefit from a formation change
Tbh I think Djnepo and Diallo could both be renewed quite cheaply right now, hold some value and are worth keeping. Che and Salisu worth starting talks with too. Can't see the others being renewed - which as you said frees up a fair bit in wages.
Assuming the player would agree to an extension... for me: 2023: Djenepo (expire) Elyounoussi (extend) Walcott (expire) Redmond (expire) Caballero (expire) Smallbone (extend) 2024: Adams (extend) Salisu (extend) S. Armstrong (sell or expire) Diallo (sell or extend) McCarthy (sell or expire) Stephens (sell or expire)
Does anyone know / understand why the reporting is going in hard on how furious Leeds are at having a deal hijacked for Dieng without even a whisper about how they had every intention of doing exactly the same with us the night before? Even sending a private jet to help facilitate this? I guess part of it is that the media seemed to ignore that up until the last moment we were in negotiations with Cody and thought we had secured him. Completely pretended it didn’t exist I’ve always got the impression that media really do favour some clubs - and for reasons that are not always clear. West Ham has always been one (isn’t that some kind of Fleet Street legacy thing?). But Leeds do seem to be another - I’m especially thinking of the fawning and salivating the year they were first promoted This year another has been Forest due to a combination of them being away for so long and making the window exciting by signing a whole new squad. The second point of which somewhat kills the romance of their return in my opinion. I’m perplexed by how everyone keeps changing the numbers of how many players they had left after loans and departures to try and excuse signing as many players as they have. It is starting to get close to outright lying because when I counted their squad on transfermarkt they had 31 players with Aurier apparently due to join as a third right back to make it 32. When you can register 25 (I don’t recall seeing 7 under 21). But on a side note - FM23 should have an option toggle to let you start at the beginning of the window. Because having to build almost a whole squad from scratch and seemingly having the resources and squad space available is the dream of most people who play that
Because Leeds have lots more fans than we do so articles will show them in a good light wherever possible. Nobody cares at all about Saints unless you support Saints. We were probably the most active team yesterday in terms of ins and outs and I had SSN on in the background throughout the day whilst working and they mentioned us a grand total of once between 8-6, which was to mention that Stephens had left. They spent more time talking about the complete bs rumour that Ronaldo might leave than about a PL team who signed 4 and let go 4/5.
Yeah I noticed that. Jim White was raving about us by the time he came on TalkSport. But that was late in the day Our window was ranked best here (albeit a website that has gone massively downhill over the years and now has far too many pop up adverts): https://www.football365.com/news/op...w-winners-manchester-city-southampton-lampard Pretty sure I first discovered it because it was default linked in with something like MSN when it was the home page on a computer I had years ago. Still read it because the mailbox can be amusing. A sort of mini Twitter / football phone in. As always - dominated by big clubs
I have just realised (I am slow) that the oldest person in our 'preferred' back 4 + keeper is 24 years old. For a Premier league club that is incredible.
I`m not really disappointed that we didn`t land Gakpo - it seemed a bit out of order with the rest of our business, which has been (so far) really good value. I`m excited to see how this hungry group progresses.
The final tally, courtesy of TUI: Outgoings Fraser Forster (Tottenham) Shane Long (Reading) Harry Lewis (Bradford) Will Ferry (Cheltenham Town) Kayne Ramsay (Harrogate Town) Oriol Romeu (Girona) Yan Valery (Angers) Loans Caleb Watts (Morecambe) Kazeem Olaigbe (Ross County) Dan N’Lundulu (Cheltenham Town) Will Smallbone (Stoke City) Kegs Chauke (Exeter City) Thierry Small (Port Vale) Jack Bycroft (Taunton Town) Nathan Tella (Burnley) Will Tizzard (Chippenham Town) Mateusz Lis (Troyes) Dynel Simeu (Tranmere Rovers) Jack Stephens (AFC Bournemouth) Jake Vokins (Woking) Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa) Incomings Mateusz Lis (Altay SK) Gavin Bazunu (Manchester City) Armel Bella-Kotchap (Bochum) Romeo Lavia (Manchester City) Joe Aribo (Rangers) Sekou Mara (Bordeaux) Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal - loan) Samuel Edozie (Manchester City) Juan Larios (Manchester City) Duje Caleta-Car (Marseille) An absolutely incredible window, not least for all the outgoings. We have parted with the rock that is Oriol Romeu for entirely honourable reasons, but the rest of the departures are either dead wood or youngsters going on loan to gain experience. We have already seen a few of the new arrivals, and without exception they all represent improvement. Yesterday’s batch are like the unexpected present found behind the tree on Boxing Day, shiny and exciting, but of unproven worth as yet. My guess, given the value Joe Shields has added to the recruitment team, is that they will all collectively lift the match day squad to higher levels of effort, skill, and commitment, and that we’ll look back on this team in years to come as the beginning of our rise to the next level.
Greg, here's some journos getting on board the (Saints) bus, excitedly looking out the window and pointing at everything, https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/haaland-jesus-bella-kotchap-more-065433761.html
Thanks. Another was I think an Athletic podcast where they discussed our window prior to deadline day. And another one that I think someone linked here that I can’t remember the name of I was intrigued by a couple of things in that article: - Someone picked Chelsea as having the best window. That is no way near true. They have spend a record amount and don’t seem clearly better overall - Someone picked Forest as having the worst. Which seems to be a bold claim. Despite stubborn insistence otherwise there does seem an air of “scattergun” but I wouldn’t say it was bad. Just a big gamble. And also very harsh to sign two left backs have the second choice get games and do relatively well due to an injury and then immediately sign a third who instantly boots him out of the side. Keeping those players happy will be tough. Although I don’t think there is much in the claims that it will be a disaster if they get relegated. For reasons that are too time consuming to go through as it would involve going line by line on their signings
Just watched the video's for Edozie, Larios and AMN. They all seem decent. AMN is calm as you like, and could be vital. Edozie has a confident swagger but seems alright with it. Larios bless him seems a lovely young man. Didn't know he was from Sevilla originally. I'm really really excited by this group.
