Southampton: January transfer window verdict – one week on

It’s been just under a week since the 2018 January transfer window slammed shut, meaning the dust has settled and we can analyse Southampton’s performance in the market.

With the game against Brighton being followed so quickly by the win at West Brom at the weekend, Southampton supporters haven’t really had much chance to think about the January transfer window which shut just under a week ago.

The Saints’ deadline day was seemingly cut short with the game against the Seagulls taking center-stage, and in truth it seems like the window has been closed for a lot longer than it has been.

But looking back, the supporters are quickly reminded of how badly the Southampton board let them down. But the window was NOT a total failure.

Before it had even begun, the Saints sold their star centre-back Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for a whopping £75 million fee. Mauricio Pellegrino’s men are currently undefeated in six games dating back to the 2nd January – it stands to reason that the Saints are performing a lot better without the toxic attitude of the Dutch defender.

Next: West Brom 2-3 Southampton: Match recap

In addition to sale of Virgil van Dijk and the loaning out of Matt Targett to Fulham, the Saints made one major signing over the course of the window – Guido Carrillo from Monaco.

The Argentinian is the Saints’ record signing after his £19.2 million move from France, and has started life well on the south coast but needs to improve in the coming games. He’s not been 100 percent fit and has also only started on the one occasion, but will need to get his first goal in the game or so.

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• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 1: Departures
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• Rain clouds on the horizon? Southampton beat Plymouth Argyle
• A lament for Southampton legend James Ward-Prowse

Carrillo’s style of play is something that the Southampton squad was very much lacking – a tall, more physical striker who can hopefully get on the end of some crosses.

But what can’t be ignored is the criminal lack of other signings brought in the by the Saints’ board. Yes, the side are now out of the relegation places but by a narrow points margin – with a game against Liverpool this weekend.

The sale of VVD was inevitable and happened before the window had even officially opened – yet there never seemed any intent of signing another defender across the entire window. Some centre-backs, including Alfie Mawson, were loosely linked, but nothing concrete ever emerged.

For now, it doesn’t seem like a huge problem. Hoedt is playing well and Jack Stephens is in the form of his life – but one injury and the Saints will have to utilize Jan Bednarek as their only other back-up. Whatever influence Van Dijk had on the first team, he should’ve been replaced.

In addition, the Saints failed to recruit a winger on more than one occasion. Reports have since emerged of long lists of attackers the Saints made inquiries for, but the main two were Theo Walcott and Quincy Promes.

Walcott chose a move to Everton over the Saints for whatever reason, which led Les Reed to turn his attention to the aforementioned Dutch winger. Available at £30 million, the Saints board pandered around with reported bids of £25 and £27 million before eventually offered the desired amount days later than they should’ve.

However Spartak pulled out of the deal with no replacement bought in, despite signing the more-central Sofiane Hanni from Anderlecht and also having a longer window than the Premier League’s.

Pellegrino insisted that the Saints had a ‘Plan B’ if things went wrong but when the Promes deal looked dead in the water on deadline day, the only thin rumours were to Nico Gaitan and Erik Lamela.

Whilst the Saints pursuit of a new forward was successful and the squad seem lifted without Van Dijk, the final verdict can be nothing other than failure. The board have massively let their supporters down, especially when the Saints were 19th at the point the window slammed shut.

Let’s just hope this resurgence in form isn’t quashed by Liverpool this weekend, as climbing the table sooner rather than later could ensure Premier league survival.