Summer Transfer Rumour Thread.

Haven't forgotten that and of course we CAN sign these type of players - but we won't because:

1. We won't pay their transfer fees or wages
2. IF these guys DO want to leave and move to England, then there are probably more established teams in the PL who would also want to sign them and more importantly the players would want to play for these clubs.

 

Zapata may fit that description, but I don't think de Guzman does. Since leaving PSV, he's played for Mallorca and Villarreal, both of whom are around our level (though Villarreal are now below it of course) and I don't think either would have paid him anything over 30k a week.

 

Villarreal were in the champions league when he signed for them. In no way were they around our level!

 

We may be in the premier league now, but we are a small club in a big pond once again, particularly until we can prove that we are not a relegation candidate. We will be able to attract a higher caliber of player then the Championship of course, but in the grand scheme of the premier league if you aren't offering hefty wages then you are unlikely to attract the better players.

 

I agree a bit with Joe our finances and infrastructure now mean we are no longer a small club. I'm certain Nigel won't go mad but equally sure that the money is there to ensure we progress.

 

The thing is, we're not. We averaged more at home games than a sizeable amount of prem teams last season and will again this season. We have an ambitious chairman who wants to over achieve and sets stretch goals. We also boast the best training facilities in the country and live in a desirable area. The club has a lot going for it in it's current position and will only get stronger. FWIW I don't think we'll sign any of these players, but I do believe we will get 4/5 in spending around £20million in the process.

 

Great minds!

 

Yes we are in the yes of other clubs and other players. No doubt we could offer as much or more than a number of other PL clubs - but in the eyes of many players, especially foreign players we are still a team that was in the 3rd tier 2 years ago.

 

I'd be surprised if we spent as much as £20m. If you are using that spread over a lot of players then its more revolution then evolution, if you are using that for a few players then they are likely to be on higher wages. I know we have money and ambition etc etc., but to the media, commentators, premier league clubs and players we are relegation candidates and one of the smaller clubs. It's up to the club to prove them wrong and re-establish ourselves in the PL as something more then perennial strugglers. JMO but I think because of our success and relative attractiveness and buying power in the lower leagues over the last few seasons people have forgotten that we are not a big club in the PL, I think we have the potential to be a top half of the table PL club, but that's not going to happen overnight IMO and its something that we have to prove.

 

We are not a small club anymore. I have been surprised myself at the lebvel of support shown over the last 2 seasons.

Large gates (2 seasons in row)
Very ambitius chairman
Very ambitious manager
Excellent location
Excellent infrastructure
Excellent academy that looks after players.

I don't think these things are going unnoticed in the football world. Our football has done the talking, and the support has been there for all to see. I think that we are are a much better proposition to many players than many less supported clubs in the prem, and that are coming down to the championship. It will be interesting.

 

All that's great, and it helps a bit. However, big players (of which De Guzman is one) are not going to be as interested in those things as they are in a fat pay packet, and that's really going to prevent us from being able to sign a lot of these name players. As long as we are paying 2nd or 3rd tier wages, we're going to be a 2nd or 3rd tier club in the eyes of many players.

 

I agree, we are set up to progress. But I would argue that our achievements and set up have gone largely unnoticed as much of the football world/media focus on the PL and not much else. Yes it will have been noticed that we are back in the PL, that we have had a very good season, but if you asked the average PL player what they know about Southampton all they would be able to tell you is that we have just been promoted. It will be interesting to see what happens in the close season but I still maintain that in the PL (at least for the moment) we are a small club. JMO of course.

 

Yes. You both have a point, the football news is indeed saturated with the premier league of coure.

Has Cortese said much to date about wages in the prem. A player like Jarvis for example, who I think would be a good edition, what wage would he be on?

 

Haven't heard anything, but I doubt he'd be given higher wages than our current top earners.

 

I guess the trick is to find team players in the sense that they buy into the whole ethos of the clubs ambitions, but not the type of mercinary player who sees PREM and £££, and only that. Does such a player exist, hmmm.

 

Giuseppe Rossi anyone?

[edit] Scratch that, he's injured for a long time...

 

You can bet if they do, NC and NA will be on it. Players with something to prove are often of that caliber, but we shall see. This transfer window is certainly an exciting proposition and all we have to do is sit back and wait for some news.

 

That's the hard bit the waiting!

 

Did anyone see the SS mini-documentary on Dave Whelan? He's established an informal set of guidelines with other clubs to address the issue of inflated salaries and agents fees. Bolton, Blackburn, Blackpool and Villa were all "signed up" to it because they were so often vying for the same signatures. They agreed a framework that saw players loosely categorised and promised not to pay those looking to break into the PL more than £20kpw (usually £15k), a sliding scale thereafter and to exclude agents wanting more than just their cut from the player. He suggested that it had saved Wigan, and the other clubs several millions of pounds. My point is that there are already plenty of players in the PL not earning what some of our players are.....

 

Interesting stuff, thanks! Had never heard about that before.