Saints have received some derisory opening offer for their players from the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle & West Ham United, but Director of football Jason Wilcox has confirmed that the club are not going to sell cheaply.

As reported in The Daily Echo Southampton have already turned down a recent bid for James Ward Prowse from West Ham, as well as other bids for Tino Livramento from Newcastle and are expecting an official offer for Romeo Lavia from Liverpool imminently.

But as has been shown in the pursuit of Livramento, the club are in no mood to let valuable assets go cheaply, nor are they under any financial pressure to do so.

Wilcox has only been officially at the club since July as resigning from his post at Manchester City but the Echo confirmed that he has been working behind the scenes since his appointment back in January.

When the The Daily Echo asked Wilcox for an update on the transfer situation at St Mary's he had this to say.

“There will be players that start the season for us but leave later in the window and it’s real tricky for the manager and players to deal with, for their families and agents as well,”

“When there is transparency and honesty you can work through it. Every Championship club that has been relegated from the Premier League has this transition.

“There are players who have a Premier League market and players that think they have a Premier League market – managing this is a really tricky cocktail.

“I’ve been there and Russell has been there – we can relate to those experiences, you’ve got two choices as a player; get your head down or spit your dummy out.”

However Wilcox has been impressed how the squad, or at least the majority of it have responded to the situation.

“I’ve been delighted with the way the players have got their heads down, whether they agree with the manager on certain things or not, they respect him as a person.

“We’ve got a very calm environment at Staplewood and although players have got things going on in the background, we are not seeing it too much.

“When I looked across the squad, I thought there is going to be a huge Premier League market for certain players – without naming names.

“I’ve got a responsibility to make the right recommendations to the football club on whether we should accept something and we can reinvest, whether it’s the right thing for the player or the club.

“In these situations, the best situation is to have a win-win agreement where it’s the best solution for all parties – but we’ve got a value on them.

The former Premier League title winner as a player with Blackburn Rovers was also adamant on the fact that Saints will only sell players when they get the right price and if they don't they are quite prepared to stand firm and keep the player.

Although the club knows that it is inevitable that some players will go, it has to be a good deal for the club, who after all have them what are lucrative contracts.

“We’re a big football club that has been relegated to the Championship but we’ve got a value and we’re not going to allow our players to leave if we don’t feel it’s a win-win.

“If a club wants to take our players on the cheap and we feel as though we’re losing then that’s not a win-win agreement – there has to be a compromise.

“There will be situations where we say to players ‘I’m really sorry but the value is not there, you’re going to be with us in the Championship and have to generate your Premier League value’.

“These conversations are something that myself and Russell are having, Russell is having with the players and I’m having with the agents.

But both Wilcox and manager Russell Martin are not burying their heads in the sand and hoping it turns out alright in the wash, they have been making plans and running through different scenarios, not just on who will be potentially going, but who will come in to replace them.

“Russell and I are keeping aware of all the situations we’ve got; I’ve got an idea of what the squad may look like but I’ve done six versions of that. If you could see my laptop now you’d see six versions of how the squad may look.”

Wilcox’s ambition is for Saints to become a top 10 Premier League club and he believes it can be done in a matter of years, despite relegation. But he is well aware that the job ahead is most likely to see him need to build two squads in what will hopefully be a short period of time.

“We’ve got to have a balance of players that will get us to the Premier League but may not be with us on our Premier League journey and players who will still be with us after we get there,”

“I’d love to keep every player but that’s not going to be the case. With top players, there’s always a market – we’re strong with asset value on the pitch.

“There are players that are commanding a lot of money from top clubs, the problem is when you get relegated without that and you can’t regenerate cash to reinvest in the squad.

“Where we are really lucky is that we have generated asset value in the squad when you look at the youth running through it. The value is incredible. There are some amazing signings for the club.

“When we get back to the Premier League, they are going to be so much more prepared to play in the Premier League – the players we’ve signed are capable of doing that.”

The good thing about what Jason Wilcox has been saying, is the fact that he has been saying it at all, a lack of communication has been the trademark of the club in recent years, but it seems that Wilcox sees the value of keeping the supporters informed.

Whilst he hasn't revealed any actual details of who may or may not go, or what the actual bids that have come in have been, he has laid down the ground rules, not just for those clubs hovering and looking for a good deal, but also for the Southampton faithful.

He has given them hope for the future by telling them what the vision for the club is and that it has a blueprint to go forward.

He has shown that they are not just flying by the seat of their pants, they have a structure, but not just that, it is one that is realistic and achievable, it is not just the pie in the sky statements usually made by football clubs about being sleeping giants etc.

But he has also been honest, he knows that it is not completely in the club's hands, ideally they would like to put a deadline in place, perhaps the start of the football season, but that is not the case and all clubs have to work with this and it is especially difficult for relegated teams in that there is a lot more upheaval than those who are staying in the same division.

The reality is that although it is thought that Saints have told the squad there is a date ahead of the transfer deadline, that said transfers have to be done by or the player stays, the fact is that for the players truly in demand by the Big clubs will perhaps reach a point after that date when Saints valuation will be perhaps met and even breached and a late sale might happen.

My personal perspective is that now is the time to put last season in the past and that is what Jason Wilcox is doing, he is not sat on his laptop and looking at six games where if we had won we would have stayed up, he is looking at the future and trying to change that.

This will be a tough season in that, if Saints are a big club, then so are Leeds United & Leicester City, it is going to be a tough campaign, but a football season is a marathon not a sprint.

Photo: Action Images

Peterx added 09:29 - Jul 28 Early days, but I like what I am seeing from Wilcox. Showing he has some negotiation principles that he is sticking with and the owners are backing him on that.
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ElSanto added 09:56 - Jul 28 Yeah, really enjoyed your article, Nick. And also like what I'm hearing from Wilcox. Really excited about this season :)
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underweststand added 10:17 - Jul 28 Typical response from those clubs who think they can pick up cut price bargains because we were relegated. Really good response from Wilcox in holding fast with club's determination to get value in our deals. All this nonsense they write about them being "championship players " is pure nonsense. Most of those players had a good season in different ways, but it was the team ethic that didn't succeed. Of those in the mix only JWP has ever played in the Championship (one season 11 years ago), since when he has been a constant member of the team, and clocked up nearly 350 games and has the best fitness stats, and has hardly ever missed a game ...not to mention those free-kicks and his goals / assist tally. He might easily play another 10 years -with his record, and if Milner can , there's no reason why Prowsey cant' play for years to come. West Ham maybe a good club for him, but their Board squandered many more millions in the past on " bad buys ", but they won't agree a good deal when they see one.. and most of all they can't complain they don't have the money after selling Rice for 100 million. Well done to Jason Wilcox for standing firm, and if these players stay another season then their transfer fees will be even higher by next summer. Burnley may live to regret NOT signing Tella - for what is a relatively low fee in Premiership terms.

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highfield49 added 10:35 - Jul 28 At last, a chunk of transparency from SFC. Thank you Jason Wilcox, it appears as though we have someone at the club who isn't going to be rolled over by the "big club" arrogance or, in Burnley's case, small club arrogance. Clearly JW isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers either with his assessment of some player's sense of entitlement being greater their ability on the pitch.

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davenbennett added 10:37 - Jul 28 'Value' is what clubs are prepared to pay. But, some players, like Tino, KWP, Alcaraz, Tella, Sulemane, have higher value than market price to Saints. We can't replace KWP or Tella for eg, for £15m. If we keep those 5, with a new striker, gotgood chance of promotion. The latest is that Saints are open to offers for Smallbone! He is a very good Championship CMF. If sell him, JWP, Lavia, Diallo, that's all 4 CMF gone. Only Charles in, and he's played CB so far!

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SusanBellew added 10:50 - Jul 28 Sorry Elsanto. My finger slipped. I was trying to support your comment!
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IanRC added 11:08 - Jul 28 Very refreshing to hear this.. Fingers crossed, we get off to a good start so The players see it's realistic we will get back in one season.
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Bowlercow added 11:36 - Jul 28 Smallbone now on other clubs radar We must keep most of those who have experience at this level Adam A, Will S, Stu Armstrong (SPL about this level)Tella etc I still think we could lose as many as ten players by Sept 1st Lavia, JWP, KWP, ABK, Salisu, DCC, Lyanco, Tal Paul, Alcaraz and Sulemana
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JoeEgg added 12:16 - Jul 28 Probably the first piece of real optimism thanks to Mssrs Wilcox and our Nick! My only negative still to be removed is the 'pussy-footing' style of play from the back which with our goalkeepers will result in countless unnecessary goals conceeded no matter who plays in outfield positions! Reading will not be the last team to score gaosl from intercepted passes from the back. We still need a goalscorer and a better goalkeeper, and if our first home match at St Marys is anything to go by, I will be very nervous about our first Championship matches and how many goals we conceed! Still Jason Wilcox seems the biggest 'plus' so far this season - lets hope there will be many more!

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