Do Saints Need to be Competitive in the Transfer Window for the Remainder of the Summer? Thats is the question our regular correspondent Dan asks in an in depth look at the summer window with nearly a month gone.
So far, this transfer window, with almost a month gone by, the club has invested just £5m into new players and that fee was paid for a back-up centre-back which may later prove to be a bargain.
Southampton fans are used to seeing their beloved club make transfers like these, young, promising players that are lost in the depths of low quality European leagues; I mean, we know all about that famous black box.
But this transfer window was always going to be a different one and when I say that I mean in the Premier League in general and not just specifically Saints. A lot of money was there to be spent among England’s 20 most elite clubs from TV deals, sponsorship etc. Manchester City have already broken the record for the amount of money spent by a single club in a single transfer window and the window hasn’t even been open for a month! In terms of Southampton, that doesn’t bother fans as we aren’t in a place to be competing with teams like City.
However, we will be competing to return to a 7th place finish (at least in my eyes that should be the ultimate goal) with an impressive new manager who seems to have put some light in the dark tunnel produced by Claude Puel. What is worrying to see for most fans though is the fact that the fellow teams who will be competing for these places as well are spending more than they ever have and the worry is that Saints will be left behind.
Yes, this is a football world where incredible values of inflation in the transfer market means that average players may have to be bought for fees around £20m but so far some quality players have been bought by the teams who will have similar ambitions to Southampton.
Of course, we know that Everton have always had good finances and so spending a lot of money on players already doesn’t seem too surprising, especially with their ambition. But some of the players that they have brought in may be overpriced but have a lot of quality and potential.
Take Jordan Pickford for example, his team finished bottom of the Premier League but he was a goalkeeper bought by Everton for £30m. I do think he is a very good prospect not only for Everton but England too however, the fee in my eyes is ridiculous.
Another example of overspending for what you’re getting is West Ham paying Stoke £25m for Marco Arnautovic who has always been in the shadow of Dusan Tadic since the Serbian arrived in the Premier League.
However, West Ham have also been very shrewd in the market in the sense that they secured the signature of Joe Hart for a season-long loan and have bought Javier Hernandez, a player Southampton should’ve definitely considered, for just £16m which isn’t a lot these days for the Premier League’s sixth best minutes per goal rate. Yes, he has very high wages but may just be the striker West Ham have always been looking for.
Southampton have always been very good at finding high quality players for low fees but now I think that we’re in a scenario where the fans want to see a statement of intent and see the cash splashed a little. Yes, there are arguments regarding the possibility of a takeover which may delay player investment and there are also arguments over the fact that we had the best squad already and if they play to their ability we already have a squad ready to compete for Europe.
But the key word there is "if”. If they play to their ability. It certainly seems that Pellegrino will be able to get more out of his players than Puel did with his positive attitude and approach to football but a few more additions were always necessary, especially in defence.
Just to put things into context, Bournemouth have already spent around £35m I believe and have also secured the signature of Jermain Defoe. They finished below us on goal difference and have signed a top young defender, a top goalkeeper, and a top striker. So, on paper, the little team from down the road will finish above us next season. Yes, you can argue that they were lucky and we have by far a better squad but in reality, there is a very good possibility that they continue to succeed.
I never thought that this window we would need to bring in a lot of players and completely change the squad, but I did feel like two or three more expensive, statement signings, would be crucial, not only to improve the squad, but to improve the mood of the fans who haven’t been best pleased with their club over the last couple of months.
I really do think that our current squad would be able to compete for 7th again under good management in Pellegrino, but some investment to show that we’re capable would ease the nerves of the fans who think that we’re going to fall behind.