Leicester have thus far lost James Maddison & Harvey Barnes, who together scored 23 goals last season. Leeds also losing striker Rodrigo, 13 goals last season, alongside midfielders Brendan Aaronson and Marc Roca. Whereas, at time of writing, Southampton have lost Mislav Orsic & Ibrahima Diallo, who contributed 0 goals last season.
As it stands we still have our candy.
Of course there is still plenty of time left in the transfer window, Russell Martin himself admitting some players might start the season with us before moving on later in the window. How come it hasn’t happened already though?
It may be the red & white tinted glasses but most fans will have expected certain players (JWP, KWP & Lavia etc) to be shoe ins for an immediate Premier League return, which hasn’t materialised.
Saints certainly have the supply of players to be sold but the demand is lacking.
Unlike Maddison and Barnes there isn’t an immediate necessity for clubs eyeing Southampton players to pounce. Tottenham needed extra creativity, Maddison was bought, and Newcastle needed a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin, Barnes was signed. With the exception of the transfer involving Declan Rice going to Arsenal, subsequently causing West Ham to need a central midfielder replacement - seemingly JWP - there isn’t that immediate demand for Southampton players.
There is also a feeling that Southampton players aren’t necessarily target number one for buying clubs. Lyanco was set to join Besiktas only for the Turkish side to move the goalposts of the deal at the final moment. Having signed former Leicester City defender Daniel Amartey, Besiktas’ need for a central defender had gone. Leaving Lyanco and Southampton out to dry.
A potential Salisu deal looks to have run into similar difficulties. Fulham are chasing the Ghanaian defender but they are also after Calvin Bassey (Ajax) another left footed centre back. Buying clubs have options, Southampton players are among the options undoubtedly but it doesn’t appear as though the are first choice options
Generally there is a consensus that relegated players can be picked up for much less than had they retained their Premier League status. Often this leads to sides such as Southampton being lowballed when it comes to offers.
Cases in point; Tino Livramento & Romeo Lavia.
Newcastle’s offer of £12 million significantly lower than Southampton’s valuation. Liverpool opening offer of £37 million also short of the £50 million mark Southampton are looking to receive for the Belgium international.
Elements of lowballing are part and parcel of the course for transfer sagas, although would the opening gambit from these clubs had been so low if Southampton were still a Premier League side.
Southampton as it stands are under no immediate pressure to sell these players below their value. Neither Tino nor Lavia appear to be throwing toys out of the pram in an attempt to gain traction on a move. The caveat to this being though that usually the longer these rumble on, the greater the chance of a deal being reached.
Lavia, arguably, is the more likely deal given the ageing profile of Liverpool’s midfield combined with the reported outgoings of Fabinho & Jordan Henderson. In contrast Newcastle may step away if it gets too rich for their liking as Burnley did with Nathan Tella this summer, interestingly opting for former Saint Nathan Redmond.
Supply but a lack of demand plus buying clubs keeping options open and lowball offers are all part of the reason Southampton hasn’t seen key players leave yet unlike their relegated counterparts.
At some point this will change, a domino will fall. Be that JWP to West Ham, Lavia to Liverpool or even Sulemana or Onuachu sealing moves away.
Players will go, it will be interesting to compare the starting XI’s for the final game of the Premier League season to Sheffield Wednesday on August 4th but more importantly the XI that faces Sunderland (away) on September 2nd when we’ll finally know whether a full blown exodus has happened.
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