Transfer Rumours Summer 2025 1 - 10 June, 16 June - 1 September

Probably just packed his own lunch.

 

I guess that is probably it. Unless his agent called and said he had an offer!

 

Jalert not in Galatasaray match day squad as expected to complete his medical at Southampton over the weekend..

 

I dunno. Was it last week Alfie House said Stewart and Downs were out with some sort of "stomach problem"? I think he even followed it up with something like "If you know what I mean" Could easily be something similar and that can come on fairly suddenly.

I also think Downes may be a dick and suspect he came to Saints somewhat reluctantly and mainly because of Martin. I wouldn't be shocked if he wants to leave but a player deciding to refuse to play during the warm up seems unlikely.

 

As with the others if he doesn’t really want to be here then I’d rather we try to move him on. But it’s got very late. You’d think he’d have tried to push earlier unless he is well down the lists

 

I doubt this will be the only time this season where we're without two of Downes, Charles and Jander. If we're going to continue with two defensive-minded CMs (which I largely agree with btw), I think it would be better if we had a fourth, if possible.

I appreciate that we have Sesay. But I don't think any of us know if he's ready yet. And in fact, if Still was happy for him to play for the youth side yesterday rather than travel to Watford, then maybe that says a lot about where he currently sees Sesay. The lad is only 18.

If we could offload all three of Aribo, Smallbone and Edozie, that could free up space to sign both a left winger and (probably on loan) a utility midfielder.

 

Maybe he just felt that Sesay needed to get some minutes on the pitch?

 

Defensive midfield has always been a slot we’ve been light on and gambled with. We let Romeu go when we signed Lavia but had no cover. It turned out to be a catastrophic decision

 

A proper “Football Manager” style rebuild would see us moving on Aribo, Smallbone, BBD and Edozie (and Sesay on a developmental loan) and bringing in a central midfielder and left winger

The gamble is and always has been a club of our size and level bringing in someone who is 4th choice in one of those two slots (and knows it).

 

I haven't seen alot of Sesay and I am no football genius but I predict he will have a big future.

We are pretty good at nurturing talent and hope to see him given more opportunities soon.

 

Downes out / Romeu in anyone?

 

Well I don't think he actively hates being at the club to the point he's throwing an Anelka-in-CM0102 strop and looking to get out any way he can, but I do suspect he'd be very keen to jump ship if the opportunity came along. There's no reason to believe anyone is after him though, and the big question there is who would be interested in signing him. Downes wasn't totally useless last year but he didn't step up the way most of us hoped he would. Fernandes was much better and is 5 years younger but only West Ham seemed to have any real interest in signing him, so who would want Downes?

 

I want Downes to stay. In my vision for HMS P!ss The League he is pretty integral to the way we use the ball and adjust without it.

If he wants out that's different.

 

Downes. Charles, Jander fpr me is the new Hammond. Cork, Scneiderlin like we had in 2011-12 Championship season.


3 good players for 2 DM/CM roles, and any combination should work well

 

Downes and Charles has been a bit Gerrard and Lampard so far. But pretty sure we can stumble across the right combination. It may be we can get them both working together, or it may be Charles/Casper (or Downes/Casper) ends up being the combo that clicks.

 

Unless there is some rapid and high quality CM transfer activity, I don't think we can afford to lose Downes at the moment.

Even if he has been poor so far this season and took the piss last year.

 

If he does go we need a really strong replacement.