Summer 2013 Transfer Rumour Thread - Mk2

Damiao or Carroll?

 

Exactly, the fact we aren't exactly 100% sold on him surely shows he would be a hell of a risk to a Champions League team at that kind of money. The link of Napoli to Gomez makes far more sense,

 

If I'm Southampton, I'd rather spend £20m on Damiao. If I'm West Ham, Carroll.

 

Getting quite excited about Damiao to be honest, he's Brazil's number one or two striker when fit, who'd have believed we were in with a chance of signing that kind of player? Would be an unbelievable signing really.

Not a done deal obviously but seems we're in with a shout, which is good enough for me!

 

As an aside, if these transfers come off we will be spending in the region of £40-50m in this window. As a chairman you really would be looking for an serious assault on the top 6 for that kind of expenditure wouldn't you?

 

Same just trying not to get over excited.

 

Don't worry about us using most of our budget on one player, there will be additional funds to make sure we get the players we need/want anyway, I'm sure.

 

If we sign Banega, Wanyama and Damaio I'd say top 8 is achievable. Man Utd, Man City, Spurs ,Chelsea and Arsenal are in a different league.

 

He's level on the Brazil pecking order with Fred who's available for less than 10% of what we'd be spending on Damiao, so I'm not sure how judging by importance to the Brazil national team is a good indicator of value.

 

Stop moaning it isn't our money so I can't complain.

 

Just think. around about two years ago we were excited about the prospect of unknown Steve 'The Knight' lighting up the Championship, and now we're getting linked to sign these types of players...

We don't know how good we've got it. Is there really anything to moan about? Trust Poch and Cortese people, please.

 

I'm not moaning necessarily, I just don't think it's a clever investment. Statement of intent, sign of progress etc, okay, yeah, sure, but a good signing? I'm not sure, like 90% of other people seem to be. Normally I'd agree with the "it's not my money" thing but with an investment this big, it's not one that can easily be reversed or swept under the rug.

 

I think you're really underestimating Damiao, he's fantastically talented and young enough to get even better.

 

Fred is a bit of a weird one though isn't he. Clearly never going to leave South America to play, so he's not really available.

 

hasn't he just signed for shakhtar?

 

Well Fred's 29 so Damiao has 6 years on him, I think I know who is prefer.

Is Fred really available for <£2m? If so let's take him too

 

And say we sign him for 20m and he becomes a success scoring 20-30 odd goals a season for 4 years? The point is yes 20m is a lot but we don't know how good he really is or if he's worth it until he is playing in the Prem, Pochettino and the scouts have obviously seen something they liked and they know a lot more then we do.

 

For me there are three major barriers to break through, the top three of the two Manchesters and Chelsea, the top level teams really pushing for the title, the top five with then the two North London clubs competing for the fourth CL spot and then finally the two Merseyside clubs complete the top seven. With that kind of outlay I'd expect 8th as a minimum and a genuine challenge to break into 6th/7th.

I'm a little bit conflicted about Damiao, the prospect of signing someone of that level and international renown makes me all tingly, but I'm uneasy about the fee and it just doesn't feel right to me... Maybe it's just my subconscious Saints inferiority complex... Maybe it's the little irrepressible part of me that doesn't want us to replace Rickie just yet... Maybe it's the dread I have at the prospect of our fans spelling and pronouncing his name correctly... I just don't know.

 

Then yeah, that's great, and I'm not saying that can't happen. I mean, we could sign Bueno for £8m and he could become the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but not many people think that would be a smart investment, do they? My thinking is, for £20m, you expect a very high level of performance, which is why players like Isco and Higuain are going for about that amount. Do you expect the same from Damiao? And for the record, I'm not even saying I'd dislike the signing, it'd be very exciting - the fee just makes me very uneasy.

 

Don't think so, was linked with City but he said he was happy to stay at Fluminese. Unlike most footballers I think I believe him when he says that, not sure why though.