Summer 2013 Transfer Rumour Thread

Nainggolan: "Honestly, Southampton gave me the biggest offer at the moment among the other clubs but I don't play football for money. My priority is looking for a brighter future for my career and Southampton is my last choice."

Come on Nic, crack the DVD out. Unless Wanyama joins, then send him on his way.

 

He shows no ambition to be a Saint. Send out the boys to kneecap the bastard.

 

This

 

He shouldn't have added the last bit...unnecessary insult for a team that made an offer for him. Hope it comes back to bite him.

 

Looks like Arouna Kone may be joining Crystal Palace.

 

Goal.com claiming to have a quote from Nainggolan saying "Southampton are my last choice".


EDIT: Seen Dan's earlier comment.

 

I definitely think we have been too ambitious with our targets, It seems like we're trying to run before we can walk.

 

I don't think so.

 

Not at all - we'll get some who will buy into the ambition and vision, and then there'll be a domino effect. I think if Wanyama came, then Nainggolan would more likely be interested, which would then mean x, y and z player more likely to come too......it's just going to take one or two to kick this off.

 

Something started with Gaston, Lovren, you could even say Boruc - players with a bit of a reputation in Europe.

It'll take time, but we're getting there.

 

Don't ask, don't get etc. No harm in trying, as long as we don't persist with deals that aren't moving until deadline day.

 

If you don't ask you don't receive! No point only going after safe targets and getting bang average players, I'd rather we spent a month and a half on a wild goose chase of top level talent and then got one outstanding player than tie up 4/5 mediocre players who were nice and easy to sign and were gagging to come to us. If it gets into late July/early August and we're still getting rebuffed by big names and still need a handful of players is when we need to refine our search.

*EDIT* Dan ninja'd me with a more concise version of what I said.

 

I'd agree with that, I'm mainly hoping we've got a contingency as it seems neither Wanyama or Nianggolan are interested.

 

I suspect there's an awful lot of other targets we're looking at (particularly as actually the Wanyama/Nainggolan positions aren't likely our number 1 priority).

 

The only problem with this approach is that while we pursue the top level players, other clubs will be signing players who are good but not top level. By the time we change approach we may have missed out on guys who could have improved the team. There's also the risk that if too many players start publicly turning us down we become something of a laughing stock.

Still, we're doing okay and it's nice to be linked with some biggish names so I'm not going to complain too much.

 

Has anyone heard anymore on Stoch? He sounded a dead cert a few days ago.

 

There are a lot of good players in the world who will improve the club. There are far fewer top-level players who are young, on wages that would allow us to hand them a raise without breaking our structure, and willing to consider a transfer here. Start with the latter; there will be time for the former if it does not work out.

As for being made a laughing stock, I don't much care what people on Twitter think. Beyond that, even, if we're getting to the stage where players and their agents are discussing wages, they aren't exactly laughing us out of the building.

 

As much as it does not make good reading from Nainggolan saying "Southampton are my last choice". This could of been twisted slightly in translation but if it was said in this contexts then you cant blame him really? We are all Saints fans so we don't understand when a player may not see us as a glamorous move. We have a connection to the club but players dont so you have to tempt them with money or a vision and that's just how it is.

Its like putting yourself in the players 'boots' for example say you play for Norwich and your wanting a move and a team like cagliari come in for you, you would hold out for other options or be swayed by a vision, money or both. We are in a position where for now at least we have to give them a better financial offer than other clubs competing for the players signature. However a high finish this season and a few decent players bought into our vision will make it much easier to negotiate.

 

I've heard Naingollan was misinterpreted - he actually said "only" choice.

 

DTLW some spotty teenager on twitter reckons we are announcing a signing Friday with the new kit, has your source said anything of the sort?