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Southampton: Saints Marching’s perfect January transfer window

By Chris Hughes

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: New Liverpool signing Virgil van Dijk attends the Premier League match between Liverpool and Leicester City at Anfield on December 30, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: New Liverpool signing Virgil van Dijk attends the Premier League match between Liverpool and Leicester City at Anfield on December 30, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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FLORENCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 30: Hakan Calhanoglu of AC Milan reacts during the serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 30, 2017 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
FLORENCE, ITALY – DECEMBER 30: Hakan Calhanoglu of AC Milan reacts during the serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 30, 2017 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) /

Ewan Kingsbury  – six fresh faces

IN 

  • Theo Walcott – Permanent from Arsenal (£10 million)
  • Moussa Dembele – Permanent from Celtic (£20 million)
  • Jerome Roussillon – Permanent from Montpellier (£10 million)
  • Salif Sane – Permanent from Hannover (£8 million)
  • Hakan Calhanoglu – Permanent from AC Milan (£22 million)
  • Kenny Tete – Permanent from Ajax (£10 million)

Signing Walcott makes perfect sense as we should be looking to replace Redmond and Theo does that excellently as he has bags more pace and is much more direct with a definite end product.

Dembele would be a particularly exciting signing as he would bring real pace to the frontline, something we have only seen in Sadio Mane, who often got in behind opposition defences to unlock them. Dembele is also a very adept finisher.

Roussillon would replace the attacking threat of Bertrand brilliantly as he is another player with direct pace and a good cross, as well as knowing when and how to find the net. Sane would be a brilliant signing to bridge the van Dijk-shaped gap until summer as he is as physically imposing and brilliant in the air, whilst also being relatively quick. Sane reportedly has a £8 million release clause in his contract, meaning his asking price can not be driven up.

Calhanoglu would be another great signing for the Saints, as AC Milan are under-performing under Gennaro Gattuso. Calhanoglu would be exactly the right player to replace Tadic, as he can find a pass, shoot and take wonderful set pieces – meaning we wouldn’t need to include Ward-Prowse just for his set-piece contribution. Signing Tete would cover us for Cedric’s inevitable departure and for his customary injuries which keep him out during the season.

OUT

Shane Long – Permanent toto Brighton/Bournemouth (£5 million)

Virgil van Dijk – Permanent to Liverpool (£75 million)

Dusan Tadic – Permanent to Serie A (£8 million)

Florin Gardos – Permanent to Romania (Free)

Matt Targett – Permanent to PL side (Backup) or Championship (First team) (£3 million)

  • James Ward-Prowse – Loan to Watford/Leicester (backup) or Derby/Middlesborough (first-team)

    • Long’s departure has been coming for a while, and with his high wages he has become a liability who cannot find the net. Tadic is another player whose glory days are long behind him, and his attitude is seemingly holding the team back, as well as his poor performances on the pitch.

    Gardos can be given away anywhere to clear his wages off the bill and to rid the dressing room of any deadwood. Targett is unfortunately not good enough for us, and with the incoming Roussillon and Sam McQueen providing adequate cover, he is surplus to requirements and can go to a mid-table Championship team.

    Ward-Prowse is another who isn’t good enough for a top-half team like Southampton, his only saving grace being his set-piece delivery.

    It is unlikely anyone would want to buy him outright in January so I would loan him to a lower Premier League/top Championship side (possibly Derby to replace Will Hughes) and hope they will take a punt on him in the summer. I would also take the opportunity to assure Bertrand and possibly Cedric of moves during the summer transfer window, and make some inquiries as to the departure of Redmond pending his performance in the remainder of the season.