Transfer Rumours Summer 2020 Transfer Rumours

As they say in Accrington - EXACTLY.

And being 28 next month, really cant see it. Maybe 12m Euros max for us id say.

 

It would depend if Ralph rates him, j mean if he is someone that is well versed on the high press as a CB and good at reading the game and leading from the back i could definately see it.

Look how much Ings at 28 has transformed our front line and team game in general.

 

IF he does happen to come, it would be a sign that the club are willing to back Ralph all the way.

 

Or maybe 3 with one utility player (Stephens)

 

Salisu, Hinteregger, Bednarek and Stephens would be a pretty strong CB department.

It's been clear where our main deficiencies have been for the last 3 or 4 seasons (centre of defence and RB) and this window could be the one that takes the team a big step forward.

 

Perhaps they are thinking we need an older head with the younger lads to organise and lead them, it's what a few of us have been calling for for ages and he still has a good few years left.

 

Hinti has been mentioned previously ^^

 

28 next month is just entering your prime as a CB. If he had a 4 year contract he would still be in his prime at the end of it. Virgil Van Dijk, for example, is 29 and not many are suggesting he is past it.

As has been said above, he sounds like exactly the defensive leader we need. All our other options are either inexperienced, although Stephens is growing into the leadership role, or not good enough.

In terms of not fitting our model of purchase, that would certainly be true if he wasn’t already used to playing in a team with a similar style, which Eintracht Frankfurt undoubtedly do.

 

Nah that is just Ralph's style. In fact, he has told me on several occasions how highly he rates me, still waiting for a game mind you.

 

You make some good valid points here, and youre right of course about Virgil.

It would be a good signing to make, and I agree about the experience he could bring, I just cant see us paying that fee for him. The fee may end up being much lower, much like is always the case, and loads of figures get floated around, with someone being correct eventually!

 

Yeah, agree with an experienced head, as Ive said though, I don't see us paying that for a forward this window, let alone a CB.

 

IF we manage to offload both Hoedt and Vester I can see it happening, apart from those two the defence has been underfunded compared to the rest of the squad.

 

I absolutely agree about the fee, but then if we sold a couple of our deadwood players, Hoedt/Carillo/Lemina/Elyounoussi, or even Vestergaard, that would easily cover it. And as you say, it probably wouldn’t be anything like €25m anyway.

 

Just looked him up and he’s a left sided CD, so maybe not then. Salisu and JB already prefer that side. If we’re buying another CB I’d feel pretty confident that it would be for the right side.

 

Yeah that's a good point, and these days footballers can easily play on at their best until they're 35.

That said, it would still be unlike Saints to pay circa £20m on a 28 year old. Even when we got Ings two summers ago he was 26 and that was on the older side of our types of signings.

Getting two CBs would mean either Salisu needs time, or that Hinti is an expensive backup or that all four (with Stephens and Bed) will be regularly rotated?

 

But we did pay about £20m for a 26 year old CB just two years ago...

 

Even if we didn't sign another CB - it will be interesting to see who Ralph picks as his starting 2. Of course that could change over the season (god knows it did last season) but I don't know for sure who, if either, Salisu would replace.

My guess would be starting Stephens and Salisu - but wonder what Ralph has in mind. Add in another CB then who knows?!

 

Ralph always talks of Bednarek and Stephens as being “firefighters” - Covering players at the back who can make last ditch blocks and tackles. A classic CB pairing has one player who can do that, alongside another who can close down attackers and make interceptions before they get too close. Salisu seems to be more of the second type but given how he’s still very inexperienced and has had a meteoric rise from no boots and dirt pitches in Ghana to being a regular in La Liga I don’t see him immediately displacing one of them. If he does, it’s Bednarek, because they generally play on the same side. I still don’t think we’re getting another unless they have a deal done for Vestergaard. It makes no sense to do that when we already have too much money committed to players who don’t play.

 

I liked him for his intelligence and am sorry to see him go. I wish him well.

One day he will be a great manager but I wont be around then so when his side are winning the Champions League I want you youngsters to remember and tell you mates "I knew a bloke years ago who always said he would do that".