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Episode 409: The Summer Window!
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Southampton – We take a look forward to our loans and contracts ending at the end of the summer!
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Transcript
Introduction and Football Season Anticipation
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always today joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach. How you doing mate? You alright?
00:00:24
Zak
Yeah, I'm not too bad, mate. We're slowly inching further towards real football again. So looking forward to it
00:00:31
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, the the belief is there for me. the As the days pass, the expectations only become more unrealistic as you know, mate. That's just how i live my life.
Player Contracts and Transfer Predictions
00:00:43
DailySaintsPod
But look, today is not about our impending FA Cup tie with Arsenal. it is, in fact, looking even further forward than that at...
00:00:57
DailySaintsPod
at the end of the season, mate, and what we we think we might be expecting. You said we should take a look at players, players' contracts, who we've got currently in on loan, who we've got going out on loan, and kind of try and predict, I guess, what or the transfer window focus might be.
00:01:20
Zak
there's almost There's going to be two outcomes, right? Obviously, you know, promotion or non-promotion. And I think those are going to drastically change what people's, you know, perceptions are.
00:01:27
DailySaintsPod
you
00:01:33
Zak
By people, I mean, like the players. And I mean that.
00:01:37
DailySaintsPod
Mm.
00:01:38
Zak
going from the statement made by Peretz, right? there's like He's like, yeah, I'd be open to staying in the summer, and you know, when the summer comes up. And I think what he means is, I'll be open to coming to stay with you and playing the Premier League.
Potential Signing of Peretz and Goalkeeper Dynamics
00:01:51
Zak
So I think he's done a very good job of sort of showing that he could probably play in the Premier League, right?
00:01:55
DailySaintsPod
Mm.
00:01:58
Zak
I think that he would be looking for a move, you know, considering your... current club is Bayern Munich, you'd probably expect to not move on to a second tier English club.
00:02:09
DailySaintsPod
You want to be you're goingnna be looking at top level, right?
00:02:13
DailySaintsPod
And the that's the interesting interesting points, right? There's a lot of, as we look at it, a lot of moving parts coming in toward the end of the season.
00:02:13
Zak
Yes.
00:02:23
DailySaintsPod
Lots of loans in, lots of loans out, lots of contracts expiring. And it's it's kind of a pivotal point for for Sports Republic. Yeah. Really, after, I would say, even without promotion, right, turning it around as the season has gone on. it's It's an important window to to continue that sort of momentum, whichever direction. You you know, the direction still needs to be up.
Promotion Strategies and Impact
00:02:55
DailySaintsPod
Regardless of whether it's, no, we didn't quite make it this year, but we need to go up or it's, well, we need to be up and above the relegation zone because we don't get parachute payments if we come back down this year.
00:03:07
DailySaintsPod
that's That's the thing to to go with. So but I thought we'd we'd start, like we start our team predictions, right? We're going to go back to front, I think is is a logical way to approach it, to at least to start with. I'll start with like the the areas that are going to be probably the most active in the window, and it's not really going be a surprise to anyone, right? Let's talk goalkeepers. Goalkeepers.
00:03:33
DailySaintsPod
he Like you alluded to, Peretz here on loan from Bayern Munich. We do have the option to buy for 8 million, which honestly, with how important he's been to the team since he has arrived, feels like an absolute steal, right? Like that is unbelievable.
00:03:51
Zak
It feels like a no-brainer, but it's also one of those things where I feel like it could end up like Alderweald's transfer, right? Where we just assume the contract's going to be signed and then he goes elsewhere.
00:04:00
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:04:04
Zak
And, you know, he's kind of alluded to the fact that he's like, well, I want to be playing at the top, so you guys kind of need to be at the top.
00:04:05
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:04:11
Zak
And that's understandable. You know, he's ambitious. He's tried very hard to keep clean sheets. You know, he's definitely been an upgrade on what we've had thus far. Depends how disastrous we think it would be with potentially Ramsdale coming back.
00:04:26
Zak
Do I think he's maybe a better keeper than
00:04:26
DailySaintsPod
So that's
Goalkeeper Loan Dynamics and Decisions
00:04:28
Zak
Ramsdale?
00:04:29
Zak
Yeah. I've seen him in two parts, so...
00:04:30
DailySaintsPod
yeah so that's
00:04:33
DailySaintsPod
that's exactly the moving parts, right? So for me, absolute no-brainer, buy Peretz, sell Rambo.
00:04:35
Zak
Hmm.
00:04:42
DailySaintsPod
I love Aaron Ramsdale, but his wages, regardless of whether we're down or up, are high. and And that's not the model that Sports Republic are going to want to set, even in the Premier League, right? So, and I think it's pretty clear that Peretz, you know, he only came to us because he wants to be a number one goalkeeper and get game time.
00:05:09
DailySaintsPod
So he's not going to come here and sit on the bench behind Ramsdale.
00:05:13
Zak
No, not smooth.
00:05:13
DailySaintsPod
so So we're either buying Paretz as number one or we're not buying Paretz at all. And it would just be, it would feel like such a waste of an opportunity when he's such an important part.
00:05:24
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, I mean, on on the case of Aaron Ramsdale, of course, on loan at Newcastle this season, and they've made it pretty clear that they're not going to be signing him at the end of the season despite having an an option to do so.
00:05:36
Zak
Okay.
00:05:39
DailySaintsPod
And this is this is my concern, right? Is this limbo? the same like limbo that we had in January and in in the summer where we're kind of waiting for bits to fall into place. Like you say, Peretz, if we don't just sign him up, is it is the opportunity going to go because we're waiting to see if someone comes in for Ramsdale or not?
00:06:03
DailySaintsPod
or Or what? That's the... That's the concerning part, right? Like, don't really get the opportunity to make this decision early because you don't know.
00:06:14
Zak
Just that and also just the goalkeeper situation we have is we have as many goalkeepers. It feels like we have as many goalkeepers realistically to field an outfield team, right?
00:06:25
Zak
Like we've got what?
00:06:25
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:27
Zak
Ramsdale, Peretz, Bazzunu, McCarthy, George Long.
00:06:30
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:06:33
DailySaintsPod
Well,
00:06:33
Zak
And then there's the guy who I always forget who you're going to say like Jamie Jones or whoever.
00:06:36
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, well, so... Yeah, Jamie Jones. So George Long and Jamie Jones both on loans until the end of the season with no options.
00:06:44
Zak
And now we'll go back shortly.
00:06:45
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, they'll go back. There's no options on their deals from from the research I've done. Zunu, of course, currently out on loan at Stoke, who do have the option to buy. But he went there and immediately got injured and and is still out. It was thigh injury. And the based off of like the prediction of how long he would be out at the time he was injured, he should be due back...
00:07:10
DailySaintsPod
soonish but you know is he going to do enough at stoke to to solidify move there
00:07:17
Zak
well How many games? What, seven games we got left now?
00:07:18
DailySaintsPod
I don't know, seven, yeah, eight games.
00:07:19
Zak
Seven, eight games?
00:07:21
DailySaintsPod
It's a lot to ask from eight games, isn't it? Especially when you think that... And, you know, whether you want to put any credence to it or not with the defence playing in front of him. And, it you know, I think our opinion on the podcast is pretty much that Brazuno wasn't the problem in the team.
00:07:39
DailySaintsPod
But stats suggest he was a concern, right? Lowest in the league, right?
00:07:45
Zak
yeah Yeah, we needed to improve and we did, right? And like, you know, considering he struggled in Belgium, you know, this is a second tier of of English football, you know, we're potentially trying to go up.
00:07:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:56
Zak
I think it's one of those things where like, I don't dislike Pizzunu, but we have felt more confidence from Peretz than we've ever felt from him.
00:08:07
Zak
And that's, you know, partly probably due to the fact there's been an immense amount of pressure on him from when he signed, basically. But...
00:08:13
DailySaintsPod
And this is another one of those moving parts, right? Because is he going to want to sit on the bench and be second choice to Peretz or to Ramsdale or to whoever ends up being in that position?
00:08:25
DailySaintsPod
Probably not. I think the fact that he went straight out on loan to Stoke tells the story, right? That that's not what he wants. Because...
00:08:36
DailySaintsPod
Because we brought in another goalkeeper after he left, so he could have stayed and been second choice, presumably, you would think, right? Like...
00:08:42
Zak
Yeah, like I get that though. I can understand that. You'd already sort of had some time where that basically was the case.
00:08:45
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:48
Zak
And again, we don't really know what's going on with with Ramsdale, but we do know that it's going to cost an extortionate amount of money.
00:08:56
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:56
Zak
And like, I just kind of feel like he'd already made up his mind. i i am baffled by the decision considering he came to us to supposedly get more first team football. Would have had that.
00:09:07
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:09:08
Zak
And then instead he goes to Newcastle, wanted to, you be close the family and all that jazz. And it's like, okay, whatever. But then hasn't really had the football there again. and is now just going to be continuing with the reputation of like, oh, you're just there and team got relegated or whatever.
00:09:25
Zak
And but it's it's but funny how, you know, we've kind of both come to the conclusion we're actually probably just prefer Peretz in goal. And again, I think part of that is this kind of situation of like, oh, well, you know, does he want to stay with us? Are we actually like a priority?
00:09:42
Zak
It very much feels like despite the fact he's a permanent signing, it kind of always felt like we had him on loan just because we're in the Premier League.
00:09:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. On loan. Because it was a free hit, right? We were always going to be able to get rid of him if we went down because there would be interest. Yeah.
00:09:54
Zak
Yeah, but the interest has been alone and not not permanent.
00:09:56
DailySaintsPod
Well, yeah.
00:09:57
Zak
And now we might end up in a situation where no one's going to buy him permanently. And then we're just ending up with 100 goalkeepers. Yeah.
00:10:02
DailySaintsPod
No, you're right. And look, that's the that's the tricky part of it.
Striker Contracts and Options
00:10:06
DailySaintsPod
And then that's going to be it'll be. But you're right. My opinion is, does not lessen my opinion of Ramsdale as goalkeeper. He is obviously a good goalkeeper who will do a brilliant job for us in the Premier if that's what we end up with, right?
00:10:19
DailySaintsPod
I'm not digging on that. But Peretz feels like the the choice for the future, right? He can...
00:10:25
Zak
Yes.
00:10:25
DailySaintsPod
stay here and grow here and solidify and, you know, go on to take us up levels to to great things. I don't know if that is the case with Ramsdale.
00:10:36
DailySaintsPod
He's kind of...
00:10:36
Zak
No, but also the only thing that you've got to bear in mind with Paretz is that he is going to want to be playing at the top level. And you can very much easily see a situation we get promoted.
00:10:45
DailySaintsPod
yeah. His drive is there.
00:10:48
Zak
promote eight he signs permanently. And then, you know, if there's another relegation situation, he's gone.
00:10:53
DailySaintsPod
We get one, maybe two seasons.
00:10:55
Zak
Like, so, yeah, it's part of it.
00:10:56
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:59
Zak
some
00:11:00
DailySaintsPod
It's the same risk with both keepers, right?
00:11:00
Zak
Goalkeeper's difficult, right?
00:11:02
DailySaintsPod
It's really, really tricky. And of course, you mentioned Alex McCarthy, obviously out injured.
00:11:07
Zak
know Oh, right, yeah.
00:11:09
DailySaintsPod
He did.
00:11:09
Zak
I don't mention of the hundreds of goalkeepers we have.
00:11:11
DailySaintsPod
and mean Yeah, but yeah obviously he's currently recovering from wrist surgery.
00:11:12
Zak
Six, I don't know.
00:11:16
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, it it was a strange one when he signed his contract renewal. I don't know if you remember it, but it was it was like the goalkeeper toss up as to whether we were only really going to keep one of the two goalkeepers we had. And it was either him or Forster.
00:11:32
DailySaintsPod
and And Forster was like the first-choice goalkeeper, and then we signed McCarthy to stay and Forster left.
00:11:40
Zak
he Did he not want another challenge, if I remember rightly? I think part of it was that Forstin struggled and with us, if I remember rightly.
00:11:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I don't... Hmm.
00:11:47
Zak
But either way, you're right. like If I remember rightly, he was brought in from Crystal Palace to basically sort of be a backup goalkeeper. Never really meant to be...
00:11:54
DailySaintsPod
Hmm. Yeah.
00:11:56
Zak
I don't think he was meant to be as part of the furniture as he currently is.
00:12:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:00
Zak
And it' even for me, like I don't really at this point consider him to be a backup. like If he's just had surgery, like I think he still wants to carry on playing. I know keepers can play more, but it's like i just I think maybe like his time at Saints has probably passed on.
00:12:14
Zak
and like if hes if he's happy
00:12:15
DailySaintsPod
Probably. Yeah.
00:12:17
Zak
a likeke
00:12:19
DailySaintsPod
I mean, look, his contract is up at the end of the season and there have been no murmurs of renewal. Obviously, like say, out injured and recovering at the moment. Do I see a future where he extends for like a short term for a year to like keep some consistency in the club and be the second choice?
00:12:39
DailySaintsPod
Maybe.
00:12:40
Zak
Yeah.
00:12:41
DailySaintsPod
But, you you know, if we're in a position where the goalkeeper position is going to be shaken up one way or another, right? And so I don't know if that means we'll be happy bringing in a a new second choice goalkeeper or if we're going to pick one of the keepers that we've got to fill that role.
00:12:58
DailySaintsPod
it's It's really tricky. It's a really tricky position to fill. Yeah.
00:13:02
Zak
yeah
00:13:03
DailySaintsPod
And I just feel like it's one that we're probably going to end up spending the entire transfer window talking about. mate That's the problem. That's my concern with it. It's not going to be one that's resolved quickly. This is this is the next six months of our life.
00:13:16
DailySaintsPod
Talking about goals yet again.
00:13:17
Zak
Oh, dear. Oh, dear.
00:13:21
Zak
oh
00:13:23
DailySaintsPod
I'm going to move it even further up the pitch than normal because the next important talking point, I think, and the next key position that we're going to have to deal with coming into to this transfer window is striker.
00:13:37
DailySaintsPod
So, of course, no secret that Ross Stewart is is currently set to end his contract with us at the end of this year. you know We had a debate on the show not theonka about whether we would renew him for another year or not, or what that deal might look like.
00:13:55
DailySaintsPod
Still been no announcements or anything from from the club to suggest that that decision is being made. And again, perhaps that's somewhat down to...
00:14:05
DailySaintsPod
not knowing what we're going to be playing next season, right? Maybe that deal, maybe there is a, like a a verbal agreement that there will be a deal, but what that deal looks like depends on where we are, right?
00:14:20
DailySaintsPod
We don't work at the club, we don't know. But...
00:14:24
Zak
How many times do reckon he's played for us since we've been in...
00:14:28
DailySaintsPod
oh I don't know, it is
00:14:31
Zak
he signed in 2023.
00:14:33
DailySaintsPod
It's not a lot, is it? He's been on the table a lot. Uh...
00:14:38
Zak
34 total. Played for three times in the championship. probably injured again, 12 times in the Premier League, scoring that one goal, and then 19 times this season, scoring five, assisting two.
00:14:50
Zak
So, like, it's one of those things where i really like Stuart. I think you're right. I think it would be maybe like a one-year short-term and then see how we get on. But also, were we're currently managing his minutes, like we need to put him back on ice every five minutes.
00:15:05
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:15:07
Zak
and And you're telling me that we can't find a kind of...
00:15:07
DailySaintsPod
Yeah,
00:15:11
Zak
gangly hold-up player striker. And I think we've already kind of found one with Laren who's a bit stronger. And that's no disrespect. I think Laren has got a significantly bigger reason to fight for form right now, right?
00:15:25
Zak
On top of the fact that, you know, he's he's
00:15:26
DailySaintsPod
he also won the Home World Cup.
00:15:29
Zak
Yeah, on top of and and on top of the fact that, you know, he's kind of struggled in the last couple of seasons. I think with Stewart, it's just a fight with his fitness and then he'll get to a point where he can start, you know, knocking them away for fun. And he he did have that season for Sunderland when he was doing it. But, like, you know, the the season he put away tons goals was League One, which is quite different. And it's, yeah, it's...
00:15:51
Zak
it's It's a really difficult one because of the fact that his injury record is one of the things that I think is most concerning.
00:15:58
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, definitely.
00:16:00
Zak
But as a person, like I'm like, yeah, the guy's great. like I would really you know think he's good to stick around. But we have made so many so many decisions based off of heart versus head, right?
00:16:10
Zak
Like, Romeo, on its own, is a
00:16:13
DailySaintsPod
he makes will We will get to that, don't you worry. But yes, look, obviously you mentioned Karl Lahren, the other option we've got at the moment. Of course, also on loan with us. We do have an option to buy, apparently, as reported when we signed him. No disclosed fee on what bath that option to buy is.
00:16:34
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, I think based off of current form and what he's bringing to the squad, I think for me, it's Lauren over Stewart. And I think genuinely based off of the other options we've got at striker currently, that the window probably comes down to, we, we retain one of those two players and go in for a new striker because we're going to need to strengthen that area.
00:17:01
DailySaintsPod
whichever, you you know, the two of them together i'm not a strike force that going to strike fear into the heart of Premier League teams, right? we need We need to strengthen that area.
00:17:15
DailySaintsPod
And, you know, i think that to make space for that, one of those...
00:17:15
Zak
Yeah, i agree.
00:17:21
DailySaintsPod
probably doesn't either renew or get signed. And I think based on the moment, it would be Ross Stewart for me that, that is dropped from the pitcher to keep and sign Carl Lahren with that option and go out and strengthen and bring someone else in, in that position.
00:17:40
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Someone else. Of course, speaking of strikers, Zach, we do have other options, though, that that are out on loan currently, right?
00:17:50
DailySaintsPod
So let's not forget Ben Brogan Diaz, who is currently out on loan to Derby.
00:17:54
Zak
so
00:17:58
DailySaintsPod
Derby don't have an option to buy Brogan Diaz. Yeah. Upon my research for this episode, mate, which I did quite a bit of and sent you last night, I found maybe one of my favourite quotes from a rather disgruntled Derby fan who described Burton Diaz as having more clubs than Tiger Woods.
00:18:08
Zak
You did.
00:18:21
Zak
Oh, that's very current as well. Oh, dear.
00:18:25
DailySaintsPod
he's improved. a look he he's improved Derby over what we saw from him in a Saints shirt, but I don't know if that's the high praise that it could count.
00:18:39
Zak
Sorry, I'll just look at a part of the rest of your notes that you've written on Ben Bereton Diaz. It just made me burst out laughing. with One, the fact I also agree that his contract until 2028 insane.
00:18:50
Zak
absolutely insane. it's It's more the bracket note that you added to that. But it's one of those it' was one of those things when he first went over to to Derby, well when we previously were part of GSPN, and we had Nick, who's one of the co-founders on the show, and he a Derby fan.
00:18:54
DailySaintsPod
ye
00:19:06
Zak
And he was kind of like, oh, yeah, with about around Ben Bereton-Diaz. But also, he's improved there. He's been playing. He's playing all right there. The problem is, is like if we do hit promotion...
00:19:19
Zak
Is Ben Barrett and Diaz the answer to like replacing Ross Stewart?
00:19:22
DailySaintsPod
he is not.
00:19:23
Zak
And it's like, nah, he's doing a derby squad for...
00:19:24
DailySaintsPod
I'm not being funny. Even if we even if we don't make promotion, i don't think that Ben Barrett and Diaz is the answer. My concern is...
00:19:31
Zak
I just don't think he wants to be here either.
00:19:32
DailySaintsPod
With a contract until 2028, are we going to end up in another position where, you know, we've seen the size of the squad being forced to shrink with players sitting out their contract and not really making an effort.
00:19:33
Zak
I don't think he's going want come back.
00:19:48
DailySaintsPod
Is it just going end up taking up a space of a potentially fresh and exciting striker that we could be bringing in? that is That is probably the concern. But, I mean, I also wouldn't be surprised if we saw him move literally anywhere in the in the summer.
00:20:02
Zak
Yeah, it's... I don't know. like i i just it just It never worked out with us.
00:20:04
DailySaintsPod
but
00:20:07
Zak
I don't know if it ever will work out. I don't know...
00:20:11
DailySaintsPod
2028 is insane as well, by the way.
00:20:13
Zak
it's It's a long time. Obviously, it was... And I can't understand why why it took place, like right? Like, when he when he joined, and it was like, you looked at his record at like Blackburn and Sheffield United, and he'd done pretty good.
00:20:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:24
Zak
And i he'd played well alongside Armstrong, who was part of our squad at that point, if you remember that time. So it it made sense, I guess, in in a way.
00:20:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:35
Zak
And then, like, again, it's more, I think, with Bereton Diaz, it's also, like, the cult hero status of him, like, randomly getting called up to play for Chile. And all of that all of that fed into this, like, idea.
00:20:46
Zak
And the reality of the situation is that, like, I just think we've just got better options. pretty much everywhere for where he would play.
00:20:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:54
Zak
And that's a problem that he's got. And, you know, I do feel like maybe under Tonda, he'll be able to get more out of him because Tonda has managed to get more out of everyone so far. But I just don't think it's something we want to rely on, right?
00:21:05
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, maybe. Is it going to be enough though?
00:21:06
Zak
But yeah, yeah you you might be right that he just ends up on another, I'm going to go on loan then I'm going to go and loan again, and then my contract will expire we'll forget.
00:21:07
DailySaintsPod
Nah, probably not, right? So...
00:21:16
Zak
But guess we'll have to see.
00:21:18
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, indeed. And last but not least, maybe, i don't know, let's not forget Damien Downs, who, of course, we signed in the summer and had a...
00:21:33
DailySaintsPod
A rough start time at Saint, of course, out on loan to Hamburg. Uh, currently Hamburg do have an option to buy Damien Downs at the end of the season.
00:21:44
Zak
and not been I'm not to buy him.
00:21:44
DailySaintsPod
and If they so wish, uh, he didn't find his groove here. And is, to be honest, struggling at Hamburg. Nine appearances in his time at Hamburg, totaling zero goals and zero assists. And in fact, I did a little bit of deeper digging into that statistic. right And in of those nine appearances, six of them were starts.
00:22:10
DailySaintsPod
And in those six starts, he has only managed a total of seven shots. And of those seven, only four were on target. So, I... Yeah?
00:22:24
Zak
but just sucked that It must have had the confidence completely sucked out of him.
00:22:27
DailySaintsPod
Yeah?
00:22:28
Zak
And he's gone back to Germany and he's hoped to find like find form on a place that he's found form previously. and just hasn't really worked out. And it might be the same reason that you know it was probably...
00:22:42
Zak
played in a way that didn't really suit his style, which we've talked about quite often. But on top of that, I think that I can't help but harken back to him having an interview with ex-USA like strikers the beginning of the season and talking about how he was like really excited to get going. And obviously it being a World Cup year and Pochettino, he was involved in the internationals before...
00:23:06
Zak
we signed him. And then it must now just be like, it's like the opposite story to Carl Aaron, where he is like dropped out completely. And that's also probably got to be a big hit to your your confidence because, you know, if you're Pochettino, how could you pick him either?
00:23:20
Zak
Like he's he's not he's barely strung like over 15 shots together.
00:23:21
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:23:25
Zak
And yeah, I don't know. It's just something that didn't click, whether it was homesickness, whether it was, you know, hit the eye what they wanted him to play, not working out, whether you know it was you know not getting on with the squad, not getting on with the manager, whatever has happened over that course.
00:23:47
Zak
like you know Everyone was hoping that he would kind of go away in January and suddenly become a baller and it's just not picked up for him. And I wouldn't be sp surprised if he ends up getting a fresh start elsewhere.
00:23:52
DailySaintsPod
But look, look, we...
Transfer Window Predictions
00:23:55
DailySaintsPod
We saw sparks in preseason from him. you know There's clearly a capable footballer in there somewhere. It didn't work out here. It doesn't look like it's working out hand, but who knows what or why or you know any number of variables that go into it. But you know in the context of Saints, not likely to be an option we're considering, especially if we're up in the Premier League.
00:24:20
Zak
you You never know.
00:24:20
DailySaintsPod
I feel like we're looking elsewhere.
00:24:21
Zak
You might end up doing... and do you remember the season that Nathan Redmond did really, really well? And I don't know if you do remember that season, but it was off the back of...
00:24:29
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:24:31
Zak
In the summer, he went away and did so much private training. Like, if I... You know, he was doing, like, going away to camps and bits and pieces like that. Carl Walker-Peters used to do the same thing with Danny Alley quite a lot.
00:24:42
Zak
And then, obviously, when when he was getting better and better... and Like maybe he has an opportunity to to kind of get himself into that level because the problem is at the moment is you you look that he ain't going to get picked.
00:24:52
DailySaintsPod
maybe missing out on a World Cup, missing out on a Home World Cup might be the kick that that drives that sort of drive into you. But like as it stands, based off of, you know, available evidence,
00:25:01
Zak
Yeah.
00:25:06
DailySaintsPod
Probably not one that that we'll be expecting to weigh up as an option. But again, another one that out on loan, having to come back, could potentially end up in this like weird limbo state that we've seen a few times where you probably not good enough to make it into the first team, but also under contract long enough to...
00:25:27
DailySaintsPod
to you know to to drag it out. right he you know We only signed him in the summer, so he's got at least a few years left on his contract.
00:25:36
Zak
Yeah, you they you just don't...
00:25:37
DailySaintsPod
We all know that he is on contract, adds amount of pounds to fee. Although that said, the option to buy that we gave Hamburg was about 6 million, which is about what we signed him for.
00:25:49
DailySaintsPod
So it looks like we are willing to break even on him, right? Is is what I've read from him.
00:25:54
Zak
Hmm.
00:25:55
DailySaintsPod
And And how that plays out in the summer, I guess we will wait and see. Right, mate, the last position that I think is going to be a hot topic in the summer is is
Fullback Contract Concerns
00:26:09
DailySaintsPod
fullback.
00:26:09
DailySaintsPod
I guess specifically right back, but fullback in general, right? And that the the big name that jumps out as a sensation that's come back to us from loan this season uh, James Brie, who's, I think, don't think it's overstating it to say that he is being part of the transformation of this team and a really important part.
00:26:32
Zak
Yeah. He's basically started every game since he's come back and, you know, come straight back into like a South Coast derby and it's just, yeah, it's just been immense since then.
00:26:34
DailySaintsPod
Uh,
00:26:41
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, and look, we've talked before about his contract situation, and honestly, i was hoping that part of like the good vibes we were going to be inevitably putting out as a club in this international break was just going to be a little contract extension for Brie. Just just put that out, keep those vibes going, and and so far that hasn't been the case. Like i said earlier, like it might be that there's some kind of verbal agreement where the deal, what the deal looks like depends on where we play, or maybe he has, you know, out and out said he doesn't want to sign it. Maybe we haven't put the deal out there. Although Tonda has come out in several press conferences and said that the board know my opinion.
00:27:28
DailySaintsPod
i mean, to me, that almost reads as I've told them I want to keep him. They haven't done it yet. And I'm going to keep calling out in press conferences until they do. which which in itself would be a concern.
00:27:41
DailySaintsPod
if that If it is that they're holding out, they they'd do well to talk to Bree about it, seeing as one of the last things we heard from him was a complaint about lack of communication from the club, specifically around intent and whatnot.
00:27:57
Zak
Yeah, it's why it's got me slightly worried because it's like, it might just be that he's quite happy to let that end and be picked up by someone else.
00:27:58
DailySaintsPod
Seriously.
00:28:05
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:28:05
Zak
And, you know, he wouldn't even be surprised if he ends going back to Charlton, to be honest, if they stay in the league, considering he had a nice time there. And, you know, or maybe gets picked up i elsewhere. But is it's one of those things where, yeah he's been transformational since he's come back.
00:28:18
Zak
But again, it just shows that as much as the good times are rolling and as much as a lot of the transfers in, like most of them were quite successful. We're now in situations, we've got ourselves into a bit of a pickle of specific situations.
00:28:31
Zak
and like let Sending him out alone seemed to be one of them, to be honest.
00:28:34
DailySaintsPod
Crazy. We questioned it.
00:28:35
Zak
The more we think about it.
00:28:37
DailySaintsPod
We questioned it at the time on the show.
00:28:39
Zak
a Like, why?
00:28:41
Zak
just seems a bit weird more than anything else.
00:28:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it was weird. And look, considering how important he is and has been to the transformation to the team, honestly, if if the season just fizzles out and then he just walks away on a free and that's what happens, contract expires...
00:29:00
DailySaintsPod
I personally feel like that hurts more than it happening with Stewie. hurts a bit more than it did with Carbalker Peters. Like, it's... For me, it's it's it would be very sad to see it happen.
00:29:17
Zak
Yeah.
00:29:17
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, other other contracts and loans in this position as well, right, to talk about. So... Yeah.
00:29:26
Zak
and upsetting amount, to be honest. It's mad that, you know, we haven't.
00:29:28
DailySaintsPod
yes So, of course, like in on loan, we have Yalert, who we have an option to buy. Obviously, it was reported really early on in the season that we're not on the bottom.
00:29:39
Zak
reported like day one, right? It was like pretty much like a couple of weeks after.
00:29:44
DailySaintsPod
He hasn't really played a lot, to be fair. He has been now injured quite a bit. The option is £8 million. pound
00:29:53
Zak
a lot.
00:29:54
DailySaintsPod
It's a lot of money in it. I can see why that's probably too high of an ask for the contribution he has managed to have on this season.
00:30:03
Zak
Yeah.
00:30:04
DailySaintsPod
You know, whatever way you try and swing it, really. Which is a shame. As someone that can play both sides, obviously that utility is incredibly useful. But I'm not really convinced that...
00:30:12
Zak
But have we even seen him play left-back at this point?
00:30:14
DailySaintsPod
I
00:30:15
Zak
Has he even come on at left-back? I genuinely don't remember him coming on at that position at any point.
00:30:17
DailySaintsPod
don't know. I don't know, mate, but honestly, don't really think that he's the type of fullback that but thrives with the way that la Tonda tends to play his formations anyway.
00:30:29
Zak
Yeah.
00:30:30
DailySaintsPod
So, you know, maybe that's part of the contributing factor. And then out on loan, coming back potentially at the end of the season, who knows? Juan Larios, remember him?
00:30:43
DailySaintsPod
He's out at Real Zaragoza.
00:30:44
Zak
No.
00:30:46
DailySaintsPod
Zaragoza do have an option to buy with Ruben Seles.
00:30:48
Zak
They brought him back off of loan to send him on loan to a place with an option to buy. So I'd be very surprised if he ends up coming back again.
00:30:53
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:30:55
Zak
it that way.
00:30:59
DailySaintsPod
Probably not physical enough for the Premier League. Quite a small lad, if I recall.
00:31:02
Zak
It's just...
00:31:05
DailySaintsPod
But look, he's back playing regular football. Seven starts for Zaragoza. The only notable stat other than that is three bookings, which is what it is. Uh, but he's, he's a regular starter.
00:31:16
DailySaintsPod
He seems to basically be starting every game for them. So, uh, they'll probably take the option and fine.
00:31:19
Zak
Yep.
00:31:21
DailySaintsPod
That works for me. the other one, of course, Yuki Sugawara, who is out on loan at Verde Bremen with an option to buy, for a reported 6 million pound.
00:31:34
DailySaintsPod
Uh, this one's in Bremen's hands, to be honest. he's played 92% of the minutes available to him since joining Werder Bremen.
00:31:46
DailySaintsPod
So I suspect that he will be signing for Werder Bremen.
00:31:47
Zak
It's not...
00:31:51
DailySaintsPod
An impressive 2,000 minutes of football so far this season.
00:31:54
Zak
off it was just a so That was a whole like weird part anyway, right?
00:31:55
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:31:58
Zak
Because he kind of fell out of favour in mid-last season and Kyle Walker-Peters was playing over him.
00:31:59
DailySaintsPod
you
00:32:06
Zak
There was the expectation of, oh, maybe he'll actually be pretty good in the Championship. And then he goes out on loan basically immediately. And then he was the one that we we speculated it was elsewhere, but he turned out to be the one where apparently they were like, oh, we don't call anyone up that's playing in like with outside the top five leagues, right?
00:32:22
Zak
Was that what...
00:32:23
DailySaintsPod
That is what they said, which, and you know what? it It kind of is what it is. or or respect it.
00:32:29
Zak
I mean, he still kept that in an actual space, pace right?
00:32:30
DailySaintsPod
ey He has, yeah.
00:32:32
Zak
He's going probably play...
00:32:32
DailySaintsPod
He started for Scotland. He'll probably start against its like against Scotland. Sorry, not for Scotland. That would be weird. He'll probably start against England. Look, I don't know enough about Werder Bremen or the Bundesliga to know if what their opinions are.
00:32:48
DailySaintsPod
And I don't speak enough German to have looked up any other opinions, to be honest. I tried. It didn't work out, all right? But they are...
00:32:55
Zak
would be interesting if we do if we do get promoted.
00:32:58
DailySaintsPod
They are 14th in the league currently after finishing eighth last season and ninth the season before.
00:33:00
Zak
Thank you.
00:33:04
DailySaintsPod
So like it's not like a groundbreaking season for them, but you know that's not necessarily all on him. So for 6 million, I would think they would probably be willing to pay 6 million for a player who has played 2,000 minutes of football for them this season.
00:33:20
Zak
it say If they are planning, yeah, but it's one of those things where we might end up in a situation, like the worst situation is, Jalert goes back off loan, Brie doesn't sign a new contract, so Juar ends up signing because, again, it's their option to buy.
00:33:28
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:33:33
Zak
But as you said, it sounds like they probably will.
00:33:35
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:33:35
Zak
But then we end up with no right backs apart from Roroslev, who is still out injured, who we have for, how I don't know how many years.
00:33:36
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:33:42
Zak
yeah i know he's not out contract anytime soon.
00:33:43
DailySaintsPod
I believe three. Yeah. think it was a three-year deal.
00:33:46
Zak
But yeah, that that that whole thing was slightly weird. And it's one of those things where like, you know, would Dewey cover him as an international saint? technically he plays for our sport. So the chances are he is probably one of the ones that's nailed on and going.
00:33:58
Zak
So unless we'll find out.
00:33:59
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Indeed. And then, I guess, kind of fullback, kind of centre-back, I mean, based off of current stats, kind of really neither.
00:34:10
DailySaintsPod
Charlie Taylor at West Brom, whose first note I have written on this sheet is, I forgot this man existed.
00:34:17
Zak
Yeah, no, we've've we've had both times we've played West Brom or we've played this in this season, we have brought that up where we've forgotten that he can't play against us, or but it's just kind of forget, right?
00:34:28
Zak
Like he was the one that but supposedly missed an interception at a corner against Leicester, right? Which is the game that Ryan Fraser got sent off in.
00:34:34
DailySaintsPod
And then never saw him again.
00:34:37
Zak
And then we never saw him again. And then we did see him for like maybe a start at beginning the season.
00:34:40
DailySaintsPod
No.
00:34:42
Zak
Was it a start? He played friendly, I swear.
00:34:45
DailySaintsPod
Oh, don't remember.
00:34:45
Zak
He's played once or twice since then. But very, very sporadically. I think he played under our interim.
00:34:49
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:34:52
Zak
And I remember that.
00:34:53
DailySaintsPod
Makes sense.
00:34:54
Zak
But then, like, yeah, i just it's just it was it was a signing that people at the time, including myself, was like, oh, that kind of makes sense. Like, he's got the experience from Burnley and it just never never played and hasn't really participated in the team since then. Yeah.
00:35:07
DailySaintsPod
like that's it No option to buy for West Brom, although his contract with us is up at the end of the season. 32 years old, probably not going to be seventy you know sending any extensions his way. Described in a recent article in the Birmingham News as the biggest flop West Brom have signed since Bainey.
00:35:28
DailySaintsPod
For context, he was a striker who was an exciting signing at the start of last February, who managed a whopping five appearances since then and has been now injured pretty much consistently
Player Performance Reviews and Future
00:35:41
DailySaintsPod
since.
00:35:42
DailySaintsPod
Zero goal contributions to those five appearances either. He spent more time on the injury table than Ross Stewart, which is insane.
00:35:46
Zak
I
00:35:49
Zak
but don't know, mate. There might be an argument that you know for Leicester fans that Joe Eribo is always signing.
00:35:53
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:35:56
Zak
don't know if you saw a comp viral tweet.
00:35:56
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, well, we'll touch on that.
00:35:59
Zak
Good. It was a viral tweet that went around. It was something like Leicester was hosting a bunch of 11 scout leaders and 68 scouts.
00:36:10
Zak
obviously for some community event at Leicester, and somebody said not a single one of them would have recommended Joe Arriba to the Leicester team.
00:36:13
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:36:20
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:36:22
Zak
And you kind of feel bad because, again, you've got Colt here, he's here.
00:36:23
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:36:26
Zak
We had gold being played. People thought he'd be the answer. He came back, did nothing.
00:36:29
DailySaintsPod
Honestly, I've written it in the notes, mate. I was going to get to it later, but honestly, probably just as popular with us because of his song. Not a lot to me. Such a hot and cold player.
00:36:41
DailySaintsPod
And then when he did try and managed to break his way into the first team this season, really only served to highlight the weaknesses that he had. And yeah, another one out contract.
00:36:50
Zak
You're going to start him at any point over Azaz?
00:36:51
DailySaintsPod
and
00:36:52
Zak
No.
00:36:52
DailySaintsPod
just so
00:36:53
Zak
Again,
00:36:54
DailySaintsPod
Just to wrap up on Charlie Taylor, mate, another horrific statistic for you.
00:36:56
Zak
I'm sorry, mate.
00:36:59
DailySaintsPod
He's been playing mostly as centre-back this season for West Brom in the team that has sacked almost the most goals in the league. Despite being there like one of their main starting centre-backs, he finds himself ranked 15th in the West Brom squad for tackles won.
00:37:20
Zak
behind a goalkeeper yeah
00:37:24
DailySaintsPod
It's absolutely insane to me.
00:37:26
Zak
yeah but again like so sometimes i i do think that so for some people last season did an absolute number on them and you know they've gone out on loan and then you know hope to recapture and they're still dealing with that whereas those that have stayed have managed to deal with it together and i do
00:37:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah,
00:37:34
DailySaintsPod
he's going to be one of them.
00:37:44
DailySaintsPod
yeah I mean like seasoned experience centre-back full-back at the age of 32 sometimes you just lose a lose a step with that but yeah I don't know Joe Ariba obviously out of contract as well in summer at Leicester until then what more more can you say on that.
00:38:07
DailySaintsPod
is good we
00:38:07
Zak
Relegation fight to relegation fight, innit?
00:38:10
DailySaintsPod
we've We've talked about that till the cows come home. But yeah.
00:38:15
Zak
Yeah.
00:38:16
Zak
Relegation fight to relegation fight. Mates are missing. Clearly isn't enjoying it as much as he was here. Isn't going to break back into the team. Wouldn't be surprised if he goes in the summer. Probably already confirmed behind the scenes, to be honest.
00:38:17
DailySaintsPod
what
00:38:29
DailySaintsPod
That's it. And then, look, a couple of other notes not of those key positions of of like players out of contract, right?
Team Rebuilding and Strategic Signings
00:38:36
DailySaintsPod
So we've got Romelu, of course, was only a short-term sign-in. Honestly, let's be honest, at this point, just a PR signing.
00:38:45
DailySaintsPod
Great see him back at the club. I hope that... part of turning around to the team has been the experience that he brings in the dressing room and like the presence he provides.
00:38:57
DailySaintsPod
But I would be very surprised to see him stay on at the club as a player, at least like.
00:39:03
Zak
You never know. They might have him as like one of those older players in the under-21s, right? An older player that plays in the reserves to kind of provide that you know little bit of mental edge.
00:39:08
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:39:12
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:39:14
Zak
And yeah, you don't know what his influence has been plus
00:39:15
DailySaintsPod
sure there's a place for him I'm sure there's a place for him at the club. I'm not convinced it's as a first-team player.
00:39:20
Zak
been. Does he still get signed and if Shane Charles doesn't get injured and also Will still doesn't get fired?
00:39:29
DailySaintsPod
I don't know. I don't think... Maybe, but only for the same PR reasons...
00:39:35
Zak
Yeah, okay. I can't even remember if he was signed before or after. he still was fired at this point. It's been so long. I want to say after, but I might just be making that up.
00:39:42
DailySaintsPod
and think is Yeah, I think after. I think after two.
00:39:45
Zak
Okay.
00:39:45
DailySaintsPod
But you're right. Honestly, not to remember what crazy season it's been.
00:39:50
Zak
Oh, good Lord.
00:39:50
DailySaintsPod
And last on my list to talk about, mate, Will Smallbone out on loan at Millwall. Only managed nine appearances for them this season. Been riddled with injuries. Another hamstring injury. keeping him out probably for most of the rest of the season.
00:40:02
Zak
I saw he's bad, isn't
00:40:06
DailySaintsPod
Another player who's contracts up at the end of the season, and I suspect, in all honesty, we have seen the last of Will Smallboy in a Saints shirt, which...
00:40:09
Zak
you
00:40:16
DailySaintsPod
Whilst it's a bit sad because obviously an academy player come through, fairly useful utility player in the centre of the park, but but suffers from being a bit of a jack of all trades without really being exceptional any of them.
00:40:31
DailySaintsPod
Of course, scored that opening goal against West Brom in the playoff semi-final to make St Mary's erupt in a way that I've never quite heard before or since. But, yeah, another another option that will probably be departing the club as all of these sort of ones wind up their time.
00:40:50
DailySaintsPod
And leaving us with with spaces to fill, right? it Potential excitement to build a decent squad from from that.
00:41:00
Zak
Yeah, it's just, it's, some again, it so much of it is dependent on whether we go up, and that's what worries me.
00:41:07
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:41:07
Zak
And then, like, there are some positions, like specifically full-backs, where the whole thing could just come down like a cart like a house of cards, right? Like, we there is not asship there is a situation here where we end up with Roroslev, who is currently out injured, and Manning, and that's it.
00:41:22
DailySaintsPod
Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:24
Zak
Like...
00:41:24
DailySaintsPod
Right.
00:41:25
Zak
like
00:41:27
DailySaintsPod
You can copy and paste any of our episodes about build-ups transfer window from the last two seasons, mate, because we still need a striker, we still need a full-back, and there's still going to be conversations about goalkeeper.
00:41:30
Zak
a
00:41:38
Zak
The goalkeeper situation is always something that we end having to talk about.
00:41:40
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:41:42
Zak
You're right.
00:41:42
DailySaintsPod
But we probably won't sign any more centre-backs, so at least that's conversation after it.
00:41:44
Zak
Yeah, so I'll take it, right? We we finally sorted out one position out of like... And also, that that might change when we go up because there might be questions around whether or not, you know, a pairing that were once in the Premier League who struggled quite a bit might need some extra reinforcements.
00:41:59
DailySaintsPod
I think with what's behind them being the important part of that, i think we'll be fine. i don't think it's conversation we need to have, and it's definitely not one, mate, we need to have today because that is far away all we've got time for.
00:42:11
Zak
Nah, we were like, let's get a 100% minute to you, Potter. You were like, oh, I don't know.
00:42:15
DailySaintsPod
accept
00:42:17
Zak
And then as we've been going through it, like we got 20 minutes in, I was like, we could have done this for probably three episodes if we wanted. So you just get a bumper episode today, everyone.
00:42:25
DailySaintsPod
Well, that is just...
00:42:27
Zak
Enjoy.
00:42:27
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:42:28
DailySaintsPod
That's it. the The joy of it. But look, let us know your thoughts, opinions, comments in the comments on the socials. What do you think the summer transfer window is going to look like? Are we going renew Bree before then? or is it just a case of waiting to know whether we are up or not Let us know. We are Daily Saints pod absolutely everywhere.
00:42:50
DailySaintsPod
TikTok, Blue Sky, X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Hit us up, let us know. We love hearing from you. genuinely drives us to keep doing this. And so thank you all for all of your interactions. We see and try to respond to almost all of them.
00:43:09
DailySaintsPod
We will be back tomorrow to talk more Saints. I think this time International Saints, which is always a fun episode. But until then, everybody, have a wonderful day.
00:43:23
DailySaintsPod
we will see you then.