Transfer Rumours The Summer Transfer Rumour Thread 2016

Regarding the RK/manager situation, I accept that the board will do whatever it considers to be the best for the club.
If Koeman chooses to leave, at the end of the contract, it will probably be because he knows where he is going, and it will probably be to a "bigger" club than us.
Many will blame the board, for not showing enough ambition to keep him, but I won't, simply because the Cortese/Pochettino/player exodus saga would have destroyed many clubs. Our board not only steadied the ship, but improved it, so on that basis alone, they've earned my respect and trust.

Personally, I would like nothing more than for RK to commit to another contract, to cover the 5 year plan, because that would, IMO, send out a very positive message to the players and possibly help with player retention.
We will always, again in my opinion, lose players to the big clubs, simply because they will, based on history, have a better chance of contesting silverware, every year, so having a long term manager in situ, is, for me, key to retaining the players for as long as we can.

 

I don't view the Koeman being undecided situation as that much of a problem.

I think Saints can work out an agreement to sign him to a one year or two year extension with an opt-out clause or a handshake agreement that should he choose to leave the club he will let them know quietly and early and not be a Pochettino about it. And in return, when informed of his intent to leave the club agree they won't be jerks about it and will let him leave without fuss and with thanks for a job well done.

Then just keep all that under wraps. I mean, it will probably leak out in some form but no one will really be sure that the opt out exists and that uncertainty is enough.

I think the only time you run into problems is when the players feel like they KNOW the manager is out-of-contract and leaving.

A contract that is expiring after one year and the manager might decide during that year to stay vs a contract that is for two years and the manager might decide to leave after a year are effectively the same thing. But it feels different. I think everyone will feel like if the team does well, RK will stay and that's good.

And if the team stinks it up then maybe it's time for a change anyway. The fact that the manager MIGHT leave next year is a constant fact of life. I mean a manager could get fired at any time. The player might want to leave next year themselves.

 

The players might have some thoughts about leaving this summer, too. Having the manager waffling over whether we're worth committing to doesn't make the task of convincing the players much easier.

 

Yeah, it could be a factor.

But Wanyama's contract is up in a year and I kind of doubt he would consider signing an extension right now anyway. He either wants to go to Spurs now, or he waits a year and gets a big free agent deal. He's not too worried about Koeman leaving.

Same with Pelle, who has reasons to go no matter who is in charge.

Mane, too is probably thinking he will leave either this summer or after next year.

And these players may not be the biggest fans of Koeman anyway, as they've all been dropped and/or publicly criticized by him. Not saying they hate him, but they might view a new manager as not such a bad thing anyway.

 

The quotes I've read from Ron in regards to waiting until the summer and his age, sound like Pelle is off in the summer.

Our recent hardball tactics over keeping players under contract must be a negative factor in getting players to re-sign.
It's great for us fans to see saints stand firm last summer, but Vic and Sadio know that if they sign an extension then will the club work with them over any (in their eyes) great transfer opportunities.

 

I didn't mean it in a bad way. Just that talking about possible or actual bad energises the forum much better than good news.

 

Hard ball tactics.........Blimey Why should any club have problems with players because their club insist they honour their original contracts? They were pleased enough to sign them when they were offered in the beginning. If we as a club wish to grow we have little or no choice to get players to play out their contracts. It is time that the so called bigger clubs learn we are not a selling club.
Sadly though I am not sure this board has quite the back bone to stand up to both the players and the bigger clubs. It is strange though that the vast majority of the EPL clubs can keep their star players yet we can't. Lets watch what happens to Leicester and other clubs of approximate equal size and standing. Lets just see who sells the most star players.
I am not going to ask for any guesses as to who I think it will be. Sorry just my opinion for what its worth!!

 

From the depths of frustration when MoPo decided to go off with the then cheap whore from London to the cryptic tweet RonKo made of an empty first day of training to the last 2 seasons of mostly fantastic football, largely successful signings and positive news on and off the pitch.

I am genuinely like a kid at Xmas excited about what the end of the season could hold for the club. I think we will lose a few through natural wastage, and Europa league dependant, with the increased money from the PL we will get some more VVD/Jordi-esque quality signings.

Reading the situation, I can't see RonKo moving to Everton. They can offer money which is a big draw, but I can't see anything else being enough of a pull. Yes, they have history, but what he has with us is better IMO, a chance to create his own history. He's already started, why just walk away now? He doesn't strike me as a money grabber.

We all know he will go at some point, and although I've no idea who I'd like to replace him with (Howe seems out of the frame now, very few other Prem managers I'd like in). But for him to leave now, he would be moving to replicate what he is doing with us, pointless unless it's a considerable step up. I don't think he's Barca enough yet, he's building towards that, my only real worry is that he will end up at United-a lot of irony that he could be asked to take over from LVG!

He wanted us to show ambition, the signings have stepped up a notch, off the field with the much maligned Kreuger-factor, we have signed a much larger, much more unique kit deal-one that suits us financially and in terms of what it offers. I very much get the impression it was us that went looking for the right company rather than us beung sold to the highest bidder. Our revenue and philosophy continue to grow, ambitious plans for coaching in America have been revealed as well as growing into the women's game domestically we continue to lead the sports science/ medical field too.

I think we are on the brink of something a lot bigger, it does not revolve around RonKo at all, but I think it would have to be an amazing offer to top all that and prise him away.

 

Yes, but financially we can't afford to let players run down their contract if we're to be able to stand a positive chance of replacing them with at least the same level of quality.

The club has shown back bone in not selling players, but getting them to sign new contacts is proving difficult.

 

Uh, how are title winning, international media darlings and Champions League participants Leicester in any way on a similar footing to us? You're not even comparing apples and oranges. That's comparing apples and haddocks!

It's not about 'backbone'. That's just juvenile, it's practicality. If Mane, Wanyama or whoever want to leave and are refusing to sign new contracts, it is insanity to suggest keeping them to run down their deals, probably play worse, potentially disrupt squad harmony à la Lovren and go free. I just don't get it at all. The lesson to be learned from our recent history is that it is possible to replace one or two players and maintain progress. It becomes very difficult to replace key players if you piss away potential sales income (not to mention the attractiveness of the club to other potential players and their agents) over such a childish thing as 'principle'.

This isn't something worth dying for, like an insult, or the love of a good woman, this is just business. What the board have been doing in getting top fees and moving on is sensible.

Plus, who is outside of the Champions League and retaining all their best players without incident? Liverpool? Nope! Oh you mean West Brom and Berahino? That worked out really well. Villa lost their two best in Delph and Benteke, Stoke lost Nzonzi, Liverpool lost Sterling. All key players. And don't even think about saying John Stones at Everton! They refused his move for one window, just as we did with Wanyama and Schneiderlin. Plus their salaries are massively higher than ours, and uncoincidently they've also just been bought out to pay their enormous debts. I don't want my club to follow their lead on business.

This summer I expect Pelle and Wanyama to go, maybe Mane too. Wanyama will get a good price and I've always been a huge advocate of his but he is highly replaceable. We've been crying out for opportunities for Reed all year and it could be him or another defensive midfielder bought in. Pelle is at the end of his time here and it's the right time for him to go, again, replaceable. Mane is the player the fans are saying has been so poor this year. He's the hardest to replace for sure but again, not impossible. The players are out there and I'm sure the club are aware.

We march on, all that bollocks but players will always come and go. Is normal.

 

Because you can't make someone stay if there are better opportunities out there. We're not able to compete on salary, location, profile or level of competition with a lot of others, and it takes more than just one of those things to get those contracts done. That's not to say we won't be able to eventually. Unfortunately the one thing no sports fan was ever blessed with is patience!

 

...and I'm normally right in the Positivity Police.... what you say above though is true, especially the Politics Thread

 

I agree with this apart from the first sentence. I think Beddy is bang on comparing Leicester to us. Similar size club with similar budgets.... up until a few weeks ago you wouldn't even have considered a disparity between the two clubs. It is like comparing an apple in the box with maybe a bruise on it to the new apple just put in the box that is all shiny and fresh. Not haddocks.

Now if Leicester go on and stay top four and continually in Europe year after year, then you are comparing Oranges and apples. Still no fish in sight.

 

Repeating the trick doesn't matter right now to most of the world who now know the name Leicester City. We are nobodies by comparison. A Bedouin in the arse end of nowhere asked me if I was a Leicester fan yesterday, his mate even had a shirt! When I said Southampton no one knew what I was talking about.

 

F*** me James I've supported Saints for over 54 years I think we've shown plenty of patience.

 

Doesn't make Beddy's statement as widely inaccurate as you suggest though.

 

I think we are now in the position of so many clubs....a couple will go in the summer. No club has no turnover at all. This doesn't make us a selling club as happened before....that was a perfect storm...we had several good young players offered massive deals. And it certainly didn't continue....the next season we lost 2 (as one was a loanee) and we stopped two leaving (possibly because it was too late, but we stopped them). The board will sell if it suits us...money is right and targets available. This season it will probably be Pelle and Victor...and possibly Mane. They will all be missed in their own way, but Les found them, so hopefully will find others. However, some in the media are talking about players like Forster....on a long contract and just returned from a long-term injury...I don't think the board would consider letting him go when we actually need another keeper not one fewer.

And people talk about unwilling players not putting the effort in...not true of Spider, Mane and Victor was it (apart from the latter's mini-strike). That's because the board pay attention to character when they hire in the first place (with the dishonourable exception of our mad pirate).

 

The media will make something of it if Pelle goes, however it will be a bit like when Rickie went. We knew Rickie would be more of a squad player that following season and Pelle is likely to be similar if he stays. Consequently, it isn't a disaster if a player at that age/stage of career moves on.

 

It'll be a disaster for me when Pelle moves on