Saints football director Les Reed has spoken out this morning to clarify the recent press speculation regarding the players and manager of Southampton Football Club.

Les Reed has made a statement to the media this morning to clarify certain points that have been much speculated in the national press of late.

"As you know I am member of the board and director of the club and my responsibility is football.

Currently I am responsible for transfers, I’m responsible for contract negotiations and all of those board level football matters that the club is involved in.

I work very very closely with Mauricio, we speak every day and sometimes for several hours in the day and so we are very close and talk a lot about all the matters that go on here.

I think that there is a lot of misinformation out there at the moment that needs clearing up.

The first point I’d like to make is that with regard to Mauricio Pochettino’s contract negotiations that’s my role and we are very happy with the way we are approaching it at the moment.

Let’s clear that up because he’s asked the same question every week.

We talk every day and we are talking about the future - planning, pre-season, planning the transfer strategy. No player will be brought into or leave this club without Mauricio and I discussing it and his agreement. We talk about that on daily basis and we are planning for the future and the long term future.

We would like to focus on the remaining games of the season and Mauricio has repeatedly said that and therefore we will pick up the details of any contract talks in the summer when the season is over.

I would like to reemphasise that we are happy with that - both myself and Mauricio are happy with that — so we can focus on the details of pre-season, transfer market planning and so on. We are both comfortable with the situation.

The second point I’d like to clear up is speculation in the press about our players. That is my responsibility.

As we stand there have been no enquiries, we have had no bids and we have had no offers for any of our players. That’s accurate, that is the truth and that’s exactly where we are.

Reports that we are about to close deals on certain players are totally misinformed, misleading and are not true. No club has been given permission to talk to any of our players so reports that some of our players are in the process of negotiating stellar transfer fees or contracts are absolutely misinformed and inaccurate.

No club has been given permission to talk to any of our players and that will remain so.

As far as the policy in concerned we have had a great season, we want to build on that season, we want to improve the squad going forward, we want to retain the players we’ve got. They are all contracted, they all have existing contracts and we intend to honour those contracts.

Any enquiries we get will probably be met with a ‘no, not for sale.’ Our intention is to keep this very good team together and build on it by bringing in players to improve upon it.

Every transfer window, particularly the summer, is a difficult one because everybody is out there trying to attract players.

We have our targets, we want to improve the squad, these are things we are discussing on a daily basis and we intend to produce a squad that is capable of not just maintaining the position we are in at the moment but improving next season.

It’s a positive message we want to get out there.

Our fans deserve to understand there is not going to be a fire sale here and we have repeatedly said that.

We have had no offers for players, deals are not about to be concluded for any of our players, and we want to keep all of our best players here at the club and build on that for the future.

That is all I want to say and I don’t want to take any questions on it, I want to deliver the accurate picture of where we stand at the moment because of the speculation that is going on."

Photo: Action Images

patred added 11:09 - Apr 25 Something needed saying by the club. According to some of the press Shaw to United was a done deal, and they had actually agreed a salary with him. Everyday was a story that either one or two of our players were gone somewhere, and if wasn't a player, it was the manager. Other clubs fans were takeing as a fact that we losing over half our squad to them. It was demoralising to hear it day after day.. So good on the club,.......put these vultures in thier place and let's get on with building our club, not providing future stars for those clubs who feel they have the priviledge to poach anyone who looks decent.

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IanRC added 11:09 - Apr 25 Well done, although it will not stop the scandalous mischief from the Mail, Mirror and now the Guardian
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thegeneral added 11:23 - Apr 25 I appreciate the statement and its good to hear the reassurances about our players. I've never really believed the talk of 'deal done' and X club have signed X player, but it does grind you down a bit. I'm not so sure about the Pochettino contract though, the remaining games don't really need a lot of thought, personnel and tactics will be the same as usual, so i feel Reed's comments here don't hold a lot of water. He states long talks with MP about transfer strategy for next season without knowing for sure if the manager will be here, so either its privately not an issue or he really has no idea what MP is thinking. We have to be optimistic and thank him for keeping us in the picture, which is a welcome change in policy. As for MP he'd be a fool to walk away, as far as i'm concerned the question is "is he good enough for us, rather than us good enough for him?", i hope one good season doesn't inflate his ego, for the first time since i can remember we have several world class players and thats a big part of our success.

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slynch added 11:23 - Apr 25 The VeryUglyInside understands that this press release is a smoke screen, in fact sources close to the Club say his contract is up and Manchester United is about to make a substantial offer and he is reportedly waiting for a taxi in St Mary's Street, right now.
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ChristchurchSaint added 13:02 - Apr 25 At last- a statement! Personally I did not believe any of the claptrap that was being spouted by the press about any of our players or MP. I'm sure it was all done to sell papers, but nevertheless it was worrying that this was being said and the idea that half the team could leave was a concern. I also wonder if this statement was a warning shot across the bows of the big clubs, warning them that any illegal approach would not be tolerated. Any way, thank you Les Reed- at least we have the official line not the garbage from Fleet Street!

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BoondockSaint added 13:33 - Apr 25 What a breath of fresh air! Thanks for keeping us informed Les! However, did you notice that he conveniently didn't mention whether or not the club had been approached by any boy bands wanting to sign Luke?
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tiptop added 13:39 - Apr 25 A necessary statement by Reed. It won't stop the hacks though! With the season not yet finished these recent stories have highlighting how good some of our players are and how crazy this summers press fever is going to be, particularly if Adam and Luke go to the WC and play well. Hopefully Reed's statement is a marker though - and the team, manager and staff can stay together and build. I remember earlier in the season (with cortese in the picture) MoPo was scornful of the Europa League, saying it was good for SFC, but stated he personally wants to compete in the champions league. An honest but slightly misguided statement of ambition at that stage. That seems to have altered as the season has gone on. If we do not show a strong hand in the transfer market this summer it leaves the door open for rumours of early exits. If we do buy well it could be enough to drive us to what now appears the new official combined ambition. That of a Europa League place. But by that time the press will be gone mad! and so will Les Reed!

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LostBoys added 13:50 - Apr 25 A bit overdue in view of the intense speculation but welcome nonetheless
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saintmark1976 added 14:26 - Apr 25 Sorry but in my opinion this statement is just Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah. Look at what he is reported to have said. "all enquires will probably be met with a no, not for sale". Emphasis the word probably. "They are all contracted, they have existing contracts and we intend to honour those contracts" .Emphasis the word we. Not, we also expect the players to honour their contract as well. Regretfully when the transfer window opens and if the top teams come looking for the likes of Luke or Adam then I expect that they will be gone. I feel that for say £50 million for the pair of them we could do a lot worse than accept the money and improve the squad still further. My concern would not be in selling but how that money was spent. Our recent record in player purchase is, in my opinion, not great leaving aside Lovren. On a lighter note why does the blond girl with specs in the photo look so sad?

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saintmark1976 added 14:26 - Apr 25 Sorry but in my opinion this statement is just Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah. Look at what he is reported to have said. "all enquires will probably be met with a no, not for sale". Emphasis the word probably. "They are all contracted, they have existing contracts and we intend to honour those contracts" .Emphasis the word we. Not, we also expect the players to honour their contract as well. Regretfully when the transfer window opens and if the top teams come looking for the likes of Luke or Adam then I expect that they will be gone. I feel that for say £50 million for the pair of them we could do a lot worse than accept the money and improve the squad still further. My concern would not be in selling but how that money was spent. Our recent record in player purchase is, in my opinion, not great leaving aside Lovren. On a lighter note why does the blond girl with specs in the photo look so sad?

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cheltenhamsaint added 16:16 - Apr 25 saintmark1976 - I think the word "probably" is used because some players are for sale. He cannot name any player in a press statement, But if an enquiry was about Mayuka, for example, or Osvaldo, the club would listen. He quantifies this elsewhere by emphasising the relationship with the manager, and whom MP wants to keep, and conversely not keep. Contracts - Perhaps he uses "we" to mean the club? The owner, directors, manager, players, indeed everyone at St Marys. He is gently saying that as a club, contracts are to be honoured by all parties. It is easier to waste a wodge of transfer money than move forward with a number of replacements. Spurs and the Bale money springs to mind and your follow up comment suggests that you feel the same. I have it on good authority that the blond in the picture had a fiver on Jack Cork being the first goal scorer.

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davepid added 16:33 - Apr 25 The blond is sad as she knows it's Guly 's last season with us. Does it matter one jot what Les Reed says?
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zonehead added 12:33 - Apr 26 Thanks Les so now we who was responsible for those signings, the norwegian, the zambian, the goalie and many more forgotton signings
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