Seeing the match threads have an increasing number of posts speculating on ins and outs during the summer I thought it time to get it up.
Transfer Rumours The 2026 summer transfer window will open on Monday 15 June and close on Monday 31 August.
- Thread starter StJabbo1
- Start date
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Impossible to speculate until we know what division we are in really, but I think we are going to be very busy (as usual) regardless
Even busier than usual given we'll have European football.
It’s not impossible to speculate just very difficult. There are some squad gaps that arguably need covering regardless of division (in an ideal world at least)
But different standard of player obviously and more obvious upgrades required for the premier league. And then more replacements likely if we stay down. Some players will attract interest. Most notably Scienza, Jander, Charles and THB. And I’d probably expect all of them to go if we didn’t go up
I was checking the thoughts of AI on this last night. It’s out of date with its facts so it was giving lots of recommendations of players who have already moved to established premier league clubs (some for big fees) or since become established. And awkwardly suggested we try to solve internally with some players we’ve since sold permanently
What I started with (I’ve added some thoughts now). And perhaps I’ve been too ruthless in parts
(Ignoring my pre amble of pointing it towards the German leagues due to Spors and not knowing what league):
Improvements required in my opinion:
If promoted - general upgrades likely needed across the board but assume Larin and Peretz make loans permanent, I’d say we definitely need:
- First choice number 9 who can work in the premier league (a problem area for saints for close to 10 years with our budget and “pull” limits)
- upgrade on Fellows/Matsuki in right sides attack. More end product. Perhaps a right sides equivalent of Scienza. Someone with the profile of Spertsyan
- upgrade on Stephens for first choice central defence. Proven to not be able to cut it in the premier league (but may benefit from a better goalkeeper and manager)
- Full back upgrades (both sides). We’ve tried to be sentimental before. But in my opinion we’d be murdered with a back four of Bree-Stephens-THB-Manning in the PL
At a squad level:
- someone else who can play the Finn Azaz role but not guaranteed to start every game or has flexibility to play in other positions
- a back up for Taylor Harwood Bellis : a defender with the passing range to build attacks
- a goalkeeper who is happy to be back up for a premier league club. Maybe a McCarthy extension but it’s really time he left (I’d forgotten about Bazunu who may well come back for the bench since he’ll still be under contract - unless there are no buyers)
*
If we stay in the championship we probably don’t need a new striker if we are able to retain both Larin and Stewart. It’s not worth trying to find someone who can potentially raise to premier league standard : that was the Downs mistake
We will ideally need :
- A back up right back. Roerslev seems to be signed for a wing back system and Jelert is on loan and not fancied by the manager
- the THB backup I mentioned as it is important to how saints play that one of the defenders has passing range and currently none do. Different market probably for the same squad role if they stay down (It suggested Edwards for this but in the premier league bracket which was both frustrating and optimistic). Might even need 2 who can do this as THB may well leave if there is no promotion
- another couple of players for the attacking front three as Fellows is struggling and Azaz can’t play every game. Matsuki can play both right and central but another player on that side. Left side has Scienza, Edozie, Robinson and Cam Archer. One will almost certainly leave (most likely Scienza and Archer) but the central and right sided spots are lighter with 3 players sharing the two spots. So a Scienza replacement and then someone else for the other side (or maybe middle)
- once again : probably a better back up goalkeeper than McCarthy and George Long but saints struggle to attract such definitive backups due to club stature. It’s why McCarthy has been around longer than he should.
- at least one central midfielder will likely be needed as at least one will leave
Once again the championship assumes making Peretz and Larin loans permanent otherwise a first choice goalkeeper and a new striker in that hold up mould will be required. Peretz might be especially hard to keep if we stay down
Not factored in any promotions for the youth teams as I don’t know enough about them.
Far more feasible in the championship to bring some of these through.
I’ve also not factored in any returning loanees. Lots are out of contract and I’m assuming we don’t expect anything out of any of them regardless of division. Expect Ramsdale if Newcastle don’t sign him permanently but it seems like they might ? But they need to sell to buy apparently
Only question is over Downs. Could Tonda get something out of him after pre-season? If we get promoted he’ll need to be loaned out again. I’d still only see him as third choice in the championship if I got my way unless he really takes to Tonda and his style of play. And he can be one of three with Stewart and Larin. But he might be better off finding somewhere to play weekly
But different standard of player obviously and more obvious upgrades required for the premier league. And then more replacements likely if we stay down. Some players will attract interest. Most notably Scienza, Jander, Charles and THB. And I’d probably expect all of them to go if we didn’t go up
I was checking the thoughts of AI on this last night. It’s out of date with its facts so it was giving lots of recommendations of players who have already moved to established premier league clubs (some for big fees) or since become established. And awkwardly suggested we try to solve internally with some players we’ve since sold permanently
What I started with (I’ve added some thoughts now). And perhaps I’ve been too ruthless in parts
(Ignoring my pre amble of pointing it towards the German leagues due to Spors and not knowing what league):
Improvements required in my opinion:
If promoted - general upgrades likely needed across the board but assume Larin and Peretz make loans permanent, I’d say we definitely need:
- First choice number 9 who can work in the premier league (a problem area for saints for close to 10 years with our budget and “pull” limits)
- upgrade on Fellows/Matsuki in right sides attack. More end product. Perhaps a right sides equivalent of Scienza. Someone with the profile of Spertsyan
- upgrade on Stephens for first choice central defence. Proven to not be able to cut it in the premier league (but may benefit from a better goalkeeper and manager)
- Full back upgrades (both sides). We’ve tried to be sentimental before. But in my opinion we’d be murdered with a back four of Bree-Stephens-THB-Manning in the PL
At a squad level:
- someone else who can play the Finn Azaz role but not guaranteed to start every game or has flexibility to play in other positions
- a back up for Taylor Harwood Bellis : a defender with the passing range to build attacks
- a goalkeeper who is happy to be back up for a premier league club. Maybe a McCarthy extension but it’s really time he left (I’d forgotten about Bazunu who may well come back for the bench since he’ll still be under contract - unless there are no buyers)
*
If we stay in the championship we probably don’t need a new striker if we are able to retain both Larin and Stewart. It’s not worth trying to find someone who can potentially raise to premier league standard : that was the Downs mistake
We will ideally need :
- A back up right back. Roerslev seems to be signed for a wing back system and Jelert is on loan and not fancied by the manager
- the THB backup I mentioned as it is important to how saints play that one of the defenders has passing range and currently none do. Different market probably for the same squad role if they stay down (It suggested Edwards for this but in the premier league bracket which was both frustrating and optimistic). Might even need 2 who can do this as THB may well leave if there is no promotion
- another couple of players for the attacking front three as Fellows is struggling and Azaz can’t play every game. Matsuki can play both right and central but another player on that side. Left side has Scienza, Edozie, Robinson and Cam Archer. One will almost certainly leave (most likely Scienza and Archer) but the central and right sided spots are lighter with 3 players sharing the two spots. So a Scienza replacement and then someone else for the other side (or maybe middle)
- once again : probably a better back up goalkeeper than McCarthy and George Long but saints struggle to attract such definitive backups due to club stature. It’s why McCarthy has been around longer than he should.
- at least one central midfielder will likely be needed as at least one will leave
Once again the championship assumes making Peretz and Larin loans permanent otherwise a first choice goalkeeper and a new striker in that hold up mould will be required. Peretz might be especially hard to keep if we stay down
Not factored in any promotions for the youth teams as I don’t know enough about them.
Far more feasible in the championship to bring some of these through.
I’ve also not factored in any returning loanees. Lots are out of contract and I’m assuming we don’t expect anything out of any of them regardless of division. Expect Ramsdale if Newcastle don’t sign him permanently but it seems like they might ? But they need to sell to buy apparently
Only question is over Downs. Could Tonda get something out of him after pre-season? If we get promoted he’ll need to be loaned out again. I’d still only see him as third choice in the championship if I got my way unless he really takes to Tonda and his style of play. And he can be one of three with Stewart and Larin. But he might be better off finding somewhere to play weekly
If we got promoted, I really do not think that a back four of Bree-Stephens-THB-Manning is actually that bad. Last year, we had suicide ball for the first part of the season and I genuinely believe that a back four of Ashley Cole-RIo-Terry-Roberto Carlos would have looked awful under Martin's tactics.
Last year, Manning was actually impressive, THB is now a colossal and Jack Has experience of the Prem. Bree I feel is just coming into his own.
Our issues are up top. Larin & Stewart would do a job, but not sure how good a job. I would keep Stewart as it is effectively a free transfer and Larin too to be fair. Past performance is not an indication of future performance as they say - so I will take Larin's past with a pinch of salt. Some clubs suit some players.
Last year, Manning was actually impressive, THB is now a colossal and Jack Has experience of the Prem. Bree I feel is just coming into his own.
Our issues are up top. Larin & Stewart would do a job, but not sure how good a job. I would keep Stewart as it is effectively a free transfer and Larin too to be fair. Past performance is not an indication of future performance as they say - so I will take Larin's past with a pinch of salt. Some clubs suit some players.
Not “that bad” might not be good enough. Jack being captain makes signing an obvious upgrade tricky. Maybe I was being extreme with how many signings we needed in defence
Our big problem - especially in the way Martin played is that we had 3 attackers and none of them were really scary enough to make other premier teams have pause for thought. Allowing them to overload our defence and poor goalkeeper. So I agree that we need goal threats. Which is why I mentioned a new number 9 regardless of who we keep and another player for the three behind. Ideally someone like Scienza for the other side. We need to other teams have to think twice before bombing their full backs forward because we can get in behind and hurt them.
On Larin - he could well be a Bertrand. I’ll always remember the reaction coming off of his Villa loan. Or he could just be a “Larin” given some of the reactions to his loan - at least partially coloured by how we’d sold our top scorer for what most felt was below market value and he was the replacement
I'm going to assume promotion until otherwise occurs.
Most of our GK's are out of contract / end of loan in the summer - for me signing Peretz is a given as he's miles above the rest we have at the club right now. Ramsdale can go as sale value and wages could be used elsewhere. Which leaves us in need of a backup as I think it's time we parted ways with Bazunu for good (was his advocate at the start of the season as he was the best of what we had to use at the time).
Defence wise I think we aren't in too bad a position - RB maybe is a little light and I wouldn't say no to a CB upgrade over Wood / Stephens but think with a decent GK and not being so entrenched into possession at all costs we're alright here.
Midfield I think we're ok too - not going to argue to any quality the club wants to bring in but last summer we added Azaz, Fellows, Scienza, Jander and we've got back Charles and Downes is playing to his best at the moment and we bought up Bragg, Robinson, Williams etc to the first team.
Strikers is where we'll need to spend money - I'd keep Stewart and Larin and then look to replace Downs and Archer with better. You keep your best and then upgrade the rest. I see no sense in binning off the two best strikers we have when in relative terms they'll be reasonably cheap.
Most of our GK's are out of contract / end of loan in the summer - for me signing Peretz is a given as he's miles above the rest we have at the club right now. Ramsdale can go as sale value and wages could be used elsewhere. Which leaves us in need of a backup as I think it's time we parted ways with Bazunu for good (was his advocate at the start of the season as he was the best of what we had to use at the time).
Defence wise I think we aren't in too bad a position - RB maybe is a little light and I wouldn't say no to a CB upgrade over Wood / Stephens but think with a decent GK and not being so entrenched into possession at all costs we're alright here.
Midfield I think we're ok too - not going to argue to any quality the club wants to bring in but last summer we added Azaz, Fellows, Scienza, Jander and we've got back Charles and Downes is playing to his best at the moment and we bought up Bragg, Robinson, Williams etc to the first team.
Strikers is where we'll need to spend money - I'd keep Stewart and Larin and then look to replace Downs and Archer with better. You keep your best and then upgrade the rest. I see no sense in binning off the two best strikers we have when in relative terms they'll be reasonably cheap.
I don't know/can't be bothered to find out, but how long has Ramsdale got on his contract? Are we likely to get a good fee for Ramsdale, if he's in his last year of contract?
Peretz - June 2026 (on loan)
McCarthy - June 2026 (expiring)
Jones - June 2026 (on loan)
Long - June 2026 (on loan)
Bazunu - June 2027 (returning from loan)
Ramsdale - June 2028 (returning from loan)
feels like we'll need to sort 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice keepers in the summer in some way shape of form
McCarthy - June 2026 (expiring)
Jones - June 2026 (on loan)
Long - June 2026 (on loan)
Bazunu - June 2027 (returning from loan)
Ramsdale - June 2028 (returning from loan)
feels like we'll need to sort 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice keepers in the summer in some way shape of form
About as much chance as Jim Magilton coming back from Ipswich.
Very much doubt it even with an offer that most would be unable to refuse. Has he got a horse?
I think Bree’s substitution showed weaknesses in defence that I started in my post. No suitable backup right back and then when THB was moved there we didn’t have someone in central defence who could play his kind of passes. We got away with it because it was Blackburn and we were 2-0 up
Maybe McCarthy might stay on but it would depend on what wage he wants / thinks he can get elsewhere. And his injury ?
Goalkeeper and Right Back are the obvious priorities regardless of what league we're in.