I am going to boldly assume that in the remainder of the window, Southampton sign Cornet on loan, and there is a 60% chance Onuachu moves to Turkey in the remainder of their window for £8m or so.
Having considered that, this is the business we’ve done in the summer on the back of promotion.
INS £100m (more ticks = better business)
Harwood-Bellis £20m ✅✅✅
Ramsdale £18m ✅✅✅
Downes £16m ✅✅✅
Archer £15m ✅
Fernandes £11.5m ✅✅
Brereton £7m ✅✅
Sugawara £6m ✅✅✅
Edwards £3.5m ✅✅
Wood £3m ✅
Ugochukwu loan ✅✅✅
Cornet loan ✅✅✅
Taylor free ✅✅
Lallana free ✅
The main question will be how many of these signings will improve the XI and not just the squad. THB, Downes, Ramsdale, Brereton, Sugawara, Ugochukwu definitely do that.
Taylor and Lallana are excellent on frees, the only real question mark is Archer. Ultimately it’ll be the question of does this CA improve on the CA that left on a free (Che).
Wood and Edwards are players who, at worst, we will turn over for a profit if they come of anything, else we can develop and hopefully get them being the heart of our side over the next few years. For £100m total outlay, our spine is strengthened and Martin has what he’s asked for, now it’s whether we take our chances.
OUTS £46m
Alcaraz £15m ✅✅
Mara £10m ✅✅✅
Meghoma £10m ✅✅
Onuachu £8m ✅✅
Lyanco £4m ✅✅
Caleta-Car £3m ✅ – don’t know why we bought him given how we’ve used him, and how we only got £3m for him. Feel like he was a massive missed opportunity
Perraud £3m ✅ – as above, how we only got £3m I don’t know and feel he could’ve been massive for us
Lis £1m ✅✅
Adams free
Armstrong free
A hefty net spend, but I think man for man, we have improved with our purchases compared to those we’ve sold.
GK: Ramsdale for Lis. Yes
CB: Wood, Edwards for Lyanco, DCC. Two young and keen homegrown players for two that didn’t want to be here at a net even spend. Yes
FB: Sugawara for Perraud. Yes
CM: Ugochukwu, Fernandes for Alcaraz, Armstrong. Most doubt is here, but hopefully yes
FWD: Brereton, Archer, Cornet for Mara, Adams, Onuachu. Currently, I’d say yes, but this is the biggest gamble. The season will lie on whether our new forward line is more potent than the players we had two seasons ago. Hopefully it’s another big tick.
But the names not included above are probably the most pleasant surprises.
Unless a madness occurs, Walker-Peters will still be a Saints player. As will Bella- Kotchap, Aribo and Sulemana.
I think ABK is a starting CB, Aribo could be a real difference maker and Sulemana just needs to find whatever it was against Liverpool on the final day of 22/23. He could be big for us and maybe he and Cornet will gel.
But for the work we have done, our best side now looks more than good enough for the PL, and on paper, better than Ipswich, Leicester and Everton (and maybe even Wolves).
Ramsdale
Sugawara ABK THB KWP
Downes Ugochukwu
Brereton Fernandes Cornet
Archer
Nine of those players are signings in this window (two loans made permanent granted) so I don’t think there’s doubt we’ve improved the side. We’ve also got depth in Armstrong, Bednarek, Taylor, Stephens, Manning, Aribo, Smallbone, Sulemana, Stewart, Dibling and SAA competing for spots.
But importantly those are largely championship quality players having to perform to make the side. Not championship players holding on to a place as we’ve nothing better. I’m sure we’ll be battered tomorrow now I’ve said all this, but for now I’m optimistic we may actually stay up this season and would give our window an 8.5/10.
Written by SaintGGsy August 30 2024 19:06:27
