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Transfer Rumours Summer 2021 Transfer Rumours

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by Negative Creep, Mar 20, 2021.

  1. 9043graham

    9043graham Well-Known Member

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    Great player, when fully fit is unplayable. Never seemed to have the big ego either. Not really bothered about rival players leaving but the prem will miss him I think.
     
    #21
  2. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

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    Agreed. Been a credit to the club and the league.
     
    #22
  3. saintrichie123

    saintrichie123 Well-Known Member

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    Contract talks have begun with Vesty.
     
    #23
  4. Saints FC 76

    Saints FC 76 Well-Known Member

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    Anyone able to detail the info in this link?
     
    #24
  5. Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)

    Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc) Well-Known Member

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    Southampton’s win over Burnley on Sunday eased their relegation fears and means that they can start focusing on strengthening the squad this summer.

    The truth, however, is that plans for the next transfer window have been in the making for quite some time, so Southampton aren’t making any knee-jerk reactions to seemingly securing their Premier League status for another year.

    That doesn’t take away from the fact that potential arrivals will now know they are likely to be joining a top-flight team — it’s now a 10-point gap to third-bottom Fulham — which should make negotiations that little bit easier.

    One deal Southampton hope to finalise sooner rather than later concerns Theo Walcott.

    The experienced forward returned to St Mary’s in October, 14 years after his move to Arsenal, on a season-long loan which will take him to the end of his contract with Everton. This means he will be a free agent in the summer, and The Athletic understands Southampton want to ensure he will be their player for the 2021-22 campaign and beyond.

    Those inside the club have been impressed by how well the 32-year-old has settled in and there’s an argument to suggest he has exceeded expectations.

    The initial plan was for Walcott to be a key figure coming off the bench and for other players to heed his advice. However, the 47-cap England forward became a regular fixture in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting XI up until he sustained an injury against Aston Villa at the end of January. He returned to the side against Burnley and assisted Nathan Redmond’s winner.

    Although a deal is yet to be agreed, it’s hoped negotiations will see Walcott extend his stay at the club he made his professional debut for in August 2005. It’s unlikely he’ll be offered a one-year deal, so he could be looking at either two or three years.

    The planning for Southampton’s summer transfer window have seen each member of their leadership team playing an important role.

    Matt Crocker, the club’s director of football operations, will always have one eye on the pathway for the club’s homegrown talent, essentially asking the question over each potential arrival, “If player X is signed, what does that mean for academy prospect Y?”

    In terms of performing the groundwork for scouting and compiling dossiers on potential signings, Martyn Glover plays a fundamental part in the process of identifying and signing targets. His knowledge and sound judgment are praised by sources familiar with his methods.

    Martin Semmens, the chief executive, will be involved in the overall plan and negotiations, and Toby Steele, the managing director, has the key, objective role of looking at the finances and saying whether a mooted deal works or not. It should go without saying that no player will be signed without Hasenhuttl’s approval.

    As well as trying to wrap up a deal to keep Walcott around, one source suggested to The Athletic there will be a “shake-up” in the squad’s attacking department. This, it’s hoped, will see the club adding a new striker on a permanent deal.

    Another source hinted that if a striker is signed, he will be younger than 23 years old, which suits the club’s model of buying talent with potential in the belief they can develop them.

    Because of this, The Athletic is led to believe one forward could leave this summer.

    Danny Ings is the obvious candidate, given he’s out of contract in 2022 and features on Manchester City’s list of options, although conversations point to either Shane Long or Michael Obafemi departing St Mary’s.

    Long joined Championship neighbours Bournemouth on loan on February 2 after falling down the Southampton pecking order and it’s unlikely he’ll see his minutes on the pitch increase if he returns to his parent club — especially as Redmond is now viewed by Hasenhuttl as a striker. The same can also be said for Obafemi, who was close to a Championship loan himself in the winter window, with Swansea City, before a serious knee injury scuppered that move.

    While chasing a striker may come as a surprise, the supporters won’t be shocked by the fact Southampton are targeting not one full-back but two. Sources indicate the club are looking to sign a permanent left-back and add another player on loan who can provide cover, although an option to buy would be important in this instance.

    Southampton have tried to get Manchester United’s Brandon Williams in the last two windows, and he remains a live option. The 20-year-old can play on either side of the defence and was keen to sign on loan at the start of the season. However, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blocked that move and assured the academy product of game time, something which hasn’t come to fruition throughout a condensed 2020-21 campaign with Williams only make two Premier League appearances, both as a substitute.

    The Athletic has also learnt of interest in Liverpool’s Neco Williams. The 19-year-old plays as a right-back but featured at left-back for Wales during the recent international break, and it’s this level of versatility Southampton are keen to explore.

    A deal similar to the one that brought Kyle Walker-Peters in from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2020 is seen as the model to follow, in terms of having the option to make a loan move permanent. That is what the club would at least want to have the opportunity to do if they have developed someone else’s player for a season.

    Given that Southampton are looking at adding a permanent left-back to the squad, it automatically raises concerns over Ryan Bertrand’s long-term future. The former Chelsea player is out of contract in the summer, when he will turn 32, and is yet to sign a new deal.

    Should Bertrand depart, it could be that 21-year-old Jake Vokins, who is gaining experience in League One having joined Sunderland on loan in January, becomes the second-choice left-back next season, backing up whoever the new arrival might be.

    It’s too early to say what the future looks like for Yan Valery. Despite an injury crisis earlier this year, Hasenhuttl sanctioned his loan exit to Birmingham City of the Championship on February 1. With the club looking at support for Walker-Peters, the writing could be on the wall for the 22-year-old Frenchman’s time on the south coast.

    There are also question marks hanging over central defence.

    Jannik Vestergaard has been linked to Spurs in recent weeks and has just over 12 months remaining on his contract, but he will only be sold if it becomes clear he wants out, and a good offer is made. Should that happen, Southampton will be aware of the fact another player will have to be signed to replace him. Chelsea’s Marc Guehi, currently on loan at Swansea, has been mentioned as a player they are interested in. However, that’s as far as it goes at this moment in time.

    Jack Stephens’ future is also a topic worth thinking about. The defender signed a long-term contract at the start of the season but has had to settle for a place behind Vestergaard, Jan Bednarek and Mohammed Salisu in the pecking order.

    At this moment in time, the expectation is that Stephens and Vestergaard will still be Southampton players next season.

    As is commonly known about Southampton, they are a club who need to sell players to raise funds — and that won’t be any different this summer.

    The MSD Capital loan, which totals £78.8 million, can be used on new signings but maybe isn’t best utilised to fund a summer spending spree.

    The hope is that finances will be raised from the likes of Wesley Hoedt and Mario Lemina, currently on loan at Lazio and Fulham respectively, being sold. However, those two will have 12 months remaining on their contract at the end of this season, so it’s unlikely they will command significant fees.

    Interestingly, Mohamed Elyounoussi, another player out on loan, is expected to return to Southampton from deposed Scottish champions Celtic in the summer and will be given the chance to impress Hasenhuttl.

    It’s believed the 53-year-old will use pre-season to take a close look at the Norway international. The fact he’s left-footed, a quality not common throughout the Southampton squad, could work in Elyounoussi’s favour.

    This point is worth making as it is not unreasonable to consider him a player who could be sold to raise funds as he still has two years left on his Southampton contract and has scored 16 goals for Celtic this season.

    The Athletic has been told Southampton are already working on several deals and hope to get at least two of them over the line before the season ends on May 23.

    If that proves to be the case, it should stand them in great stead going into a transfer window where other clubs will be exploring the loan market or trying to sign a promising player permanently for relatively small money.

    Despite trying to get the bulk of their work done early, you’d expect Ings’ future to dominate the headlines until he either signs a new contract or another club comes in and makes an acceptable offer for his services.

    But Southampton will continue going about their business in a quiet and proactive way in the meantime, to ensure they maximise their resources.
     
    #25
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  6. RSS

    RSS Well-Known Member

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    "one source suggested to The Athletic there will be a “shake-up” in the squad’s attacking department. This, it’s hoped, will see the club adding a new striker on a permanent deal."

    I wouldn't consider selling Long and Obafemi as a shake up. So surely that means Ings is off if that source is to be believed.
     
    #26
  7. tomw24

    tomw24 Well-Known Member
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    Not necessarily. I would consider selling Long and Obafemi and replacing them as a shake up.
     
    #27
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  8. Che’s Godlike Thighs

    Che’s Godlike Thighs Well-Known Member

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    If Shane is leaving permanently, then I’d suggest a decent like-for-like signing would be Kylian Mbappe.
     
    #28
  9. RSS

    RSS Well-Known Member

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    Game of opinions I guess. I wouldn't consider it a shake up to sell Long and Obafemi, in fact it wouldn't affect us at all tbh. And I highly doubt we would replace both. If we now see Redmond as a striker and will be signing Walcott as looks very likely. That would leave Ings, Adams, Redmond, N'Lundulu with Walcott and Tella as further options up front. That's without replacing Long and Obafemi and I really don't tink we need to. Only way I see there being a shake up is selling Ings and that would require a replacement and would represent a shake up imo.

    Reality is probably. We sell Long and Obafemi. N'Lundulu goes out on loan. We sign Walcott on a free as the "adding a new striker on a permanent deal". And the use of the phrase 'shake up' was just emotive language to garner interest. And anything else just depends on what happens with Ings.
     
    #29
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  10. SaintsFan86

    SaintsFan86 Well-Known Member

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    It would be pretty smart business from Saints, If it does indeed mean we plan to sell Long and obafemi! Both could fetch together around £10Million.. Which is a decent sum.. For a past it striker.. And one with a poor attitude and unprofessional.
     
    #30

  11. Saints FC 76

    Saints FC 76 Well-Known Member

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    Bit harsh on Obafemi. He looked to have matured a bit after Ralph publicly questioned his lifestyle, but then got injured and hasn’t played this season.

    I can’t see us getting anywhere near £10m for Long and Obafemi in the current climate. I can’t even see anyone signing Obafemi permanently, more likely a loan.

    We should have a good chance of signing Brandon Williams considering Solskjaer hasn’t played him despite saying he would. They also have Shaw and Telles already so he’s not getting any more minutes while they’re still there.
     
    #31
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  12. Saints Fan4Life

    Saints Fan4Life Well-Known Member

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    He was fit for the first half of the season, but just wasn't picked for whatever reason (attitude i suspect). Played a grand total of 20 minutes, whilst being overtaken in the pecking order by Tella & N'Lundulu.
     
    #32
  13. fatletiss

    fatletiss Well-Known Member

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    I’d be amazed if we get £10m for Long and Obefami.
     
    #33
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  14. tomw24

    tomw24 Well-Known Member
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    I'd be amazed if we got 4mill tbh. Long will be less than a million easily due to his age.
     
    #34
  15. Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)

    Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc) Well-Known Member

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    Long will likely go for next to nothing, we will be glad to end his contract a year early (what a stupid decision that extension was) and Obafemi might get a few million, but as he is unproven clubs may prefer a loan.
     
    #35
  16. doritoharv

    doritoharv Well-Known Member

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    I don't believe we'll get big bucks for Obafemi (partly due to his injury and partly due to the impact of Covid) but recent precedent of PL youngsters with limited experience suggests otherwise:

    - Targett (£17m after 43 apps for us in the PL)
    - Solanke (£19m after just 21 apps and 1 goal for Liverpool in the PL)
    - Brewster (£23.5m after just 20 apps and 10 goals for Swansea in the Championship)

    Obafemi has played 29 times for us in the PL and scored 4 times. He's also hovering on the international scene for ROI. At the end of the day, he has pace ... and doesn't everybody love a striker with pace!!

    I would think somewhere between £8m and £12m wouldn't be an unreasonable expectation.
     
    #36
  17. One of yer Norvern Saints

    One of yer Norvern Saints Well-Known Member

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    High on my list of favourite non-saints. My City friends who have supported them through thin and thinner before their recent rise are gutted that he's going. Someone needs to tell him how lovely Hampshire is as a place to work and live!
     
    #37
  18. st_brendy

    st_brendy Well-Known Member
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    All of those three were signed in pre-COVID days.

    In the case of Targett, it was a team buying him to be a first team regular in the PL.

    In the case of the latter two, it was Liverpool selling them. Not only can they afford to turn down reasonable offers (squeeze every last penny out of the buying clubs), but also I'm sure there's an element of buying clubs being fooled into thinking "Liverpool think he's good enough to be on their books, he'll have trained with Salah, there's got to bags of talent in there, etc..."

    As above, if we can get even £5m for Long and Obafemi, we should grab it and run.
     
    #38
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  19. Schad

    Schad Well-Known Member

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    And even then, I'd hazard a guess that the totality of that £5m would be for Obafemi. I don't think Long commands a fee at this point: rather, it would be a situation where we let him go on a pseudo-free transfer where he exchanges a bit of pay to play semi-regularly.

    More likely, Long goes for nothing, and Obafemi goes on loan or for an incentive-laden total to a Championship side (where we likely don't get most of the money for at least a couple years).
     
    #39
  20. saintrichie123

    saintrichie123 Well-Known Member

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