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Episode 356: TRANSFER THURSDAY!
53 Plays10 days ago
Southampton – Greg is out sick, so Zak talks transfers!
Sources:
https://the72.co.uk/2026/01/07/southampton-eye-issa-doumbia-venezia-january/
https://www.lagiovaneitalianews.it/serie-c/issa-doumbia-il-giovane-veterano-della-serie-c-25630
https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/65418/
https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/65411/
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25743489.everything-southampton-fc-fans-need-know-new-assistant-garner/
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Transcript
Introduction Without Gregoriel
00:00:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. I am your host, Zak Ingoe- Finch. Welcome to the Daily Saints pod. There is no illustrious co-host today. Gregory is out of action. He is unfortunately come down with illness. If anyone listened to our last pod, they could probably tell he was on his way.
00:00:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
and yeah, he's just a bit wiped out for today.
January Transfer Window Overview
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
we're going to be talking about transfers today, which is a little bit exciting because, you know, we're now in the January window. Shame there isn't anything super exciting actually happening, but don't worry, I've got enough information to at least get us through a bit of time.
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So quick other note, quick things to talk about to start with. There It's probably going an episode next week where we talk about player power.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've we've been kind of asked about this, i think, on Spotify. Greg said that was a comment. Alfie House basically put out a tweet about the players that he thinks that would be worth keeping towards the end of the season.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
There are some notable omissions in that. Some people have read Between Lines. Ugly Inside did a whole piece on whether or not like it's to do with player power and there are cliques, et cetera, which there are bound to be with any social group. That's just kind of large groups work.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, we will we kind of share our own thoughts. And I think anyone that's long-term listeners of the show will probably know where we we lie on it. I just wanted to kind of like brief that out before we dive straight into
Academy Concerns and Staff Retention Issues
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
transfers. So I'm going to talk about staff as well, just because, you know, rumours abound. And we've also had a new incoming who so far the coverage on this show been...
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
me being like, and who even is this guy we brought in as an assistant whilst raging at the 4-0 loss to Middlesbrough. Terrible game to start with, but apparently he joined basically like two, three hours before kickoff, I think they announced it.
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So not really his fault. But yeah, we'll start at the top. So Andy Goldie is supposedly the leading contender to be Leicester City's new technical director. So this is a bit of a problem because he's... We've been in charge of the Academy for for a while, and it would be a big blow considering the Academy is one of sort of our best assets, right?
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Remove the the Sports Republic lenses or whatever. The academy has always been a thing that's been associated with Southampton and, you know, the players that have been associated with it. And most recently, obviously, the Tyler Dibling moving to Everton for a substantial amount of money. i think it's the most that was ever paid for academy player.
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've also still got people like Cam Bragg and Jay Robinson coming through the academy's ranks into our first team. and Some of that success is going to be down to the people running it, obviously. So to lose them would be a bit of a problem. And it also continues to be There's been an issue of the Sports Republic reign when they've got people, they've lost them, right?
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Doesn't mean forever, though. But yeah, looking at Jason Wilcox, he's having his own nightmare time at Manchester United and other kind of people that have left over time. going to be less than ideal if he moves on. But according to The Athletic, he said he is ready to move on to a hands-on role at a first team. So clearly he wants an opportunity to do something outside of youth football, I guess.
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i'll be I think it would be... more impactful long-term than it would be in the immediate forte. But like we've only really got back to having the Academy of Old quite recently, right, where we're finally sort of the the better prospects have come through.
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've had sort of two years on the bounce now where we've had players transition directly into the first team. So I don't think that it's great for the club, but we'll just have to wait and see because so far don't know.
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I guess we'll go from there. Right, so moving swiftly on to one of the big talking points.
Damien Downs' Career Move
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Transfers out. Damion Downs has moved on loan to Hamburg.
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So oh this has all been confirmed now. There are pictures. This is all from posted all posted from... What's the...
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
As confirmed by Pletti Goal, Florian Plettenberg, who covers a lot of the German football side of things, he'll be covering a transfer we talk about later as well. They have an option to buy at 9 million to 10 million euros with up to 12 million euros possible if bonuses are met.
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
He will have 500,000 euro loan fee dependent on appearances. And during his time at Hamburg, he will have his full salary covered.
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, we've got some opinions on that, I'm sure. When it comes to Downs, it's a difficult run, right? Because when he first started and came in, we had that pre-season game where he scored a good goal and everyone was kind of excited.
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then he's just kind of not not taken off. Like, sort of coming at the end of games, not really been able to to make an impact, not been able to... sort of do the role that the club kind of expected him to do.
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
and and that is to kind of play a Ross Stewart, like Paul Onuachu style striker. And somebody put in comments to Alfie House that in actuality, he's more suited to like an Archer sort of Armstrong role, right?
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
which Alfie agreed with, but also Greg has been saying that since we signed him, basically, is that we kind of seem to be playing him lot differently to what we should be. And that's probably hampered his ability to grow. And I do really feel sorry for the lad, because when he when first joined us, obviously we spent a lot of our time absorbing all of the media around Saints just for the podcast. And so because of that, we watch pretty much everything that comes out.
00:06:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there was a interview with two American international, ex-international, so we'll see, you know, interviewing an American guy who who's got his opportunity to come play in England, really excited to play for the club, really excited to get back to the Premier League because there was still, I think, far more optimism at that time that we're going to come back.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, he was just really excited to be able to showcase his stuff. And unfortunately, that's just not been the case. and And part of that was obviously he wanted to get more game time, get more goals to remain in contention for the World Cup.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because obviously he was an international footballer. He was being picked by Pochettino up until sort of he just dropped out of the first team entirely. And then obviously picked up an injury even later on. And it just hasn't been seen since.
00:06:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, it's just, I kind of feel feel bad for me, but I think that Greg summed it up quite nicely when we were talking about it off air, which is that sometimes transfers like this just don't work out.
00:07:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ben Brereton Diaz is like another perfect example of that, right? Is the, probably due to him being, don't know, played of position, not really of kicking on,
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, although think it's different with Diaz because he obviously had like his mate in Adam Armstrong here. But even then, that wasn't like that partnership never really clicked either.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, he really struggled before moving on and has carved out a little bit better time for himself at Derby, like picked up a few goals, which, you know, is more to be said for his time here. and And it's almost like a similar thing. So the other thing to bear in mind is
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
out of all of the summer transfers we had, he's kind of what the only one that I would say hasn't worked out properly, right? Like, Quarshie does good. Jander, fantastic signing. Fellows, fantastic signing.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Azaz, when he's, you know, on a hot streak, scored goal after goal after goal. Scienza is something special. So to to kind of only have... one player out of all of those that that hasn't quite kicked on.
00:08:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
he now has a chance to kind of revitalise his career in a place he's far more familiar.
00:08:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And good luck to him. I don't think I'd expect to see him back as a Southampton player. I just have a feeling that regardless of what happens at the end of the season, he'll probably end up going back to Germany. But, you know, for his sake, I hope that he starts the bad goals and gets himself back into the US team.
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it is what it is. So... Au revoir and farewell.
Ryan Fraser's Contract Situation
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Moving swiftly on, Ryan Fraser. Now, this isn't actually a transfer out story. This is a bit of a weird one.
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was rumored to be joining Western Sydney Wanderers, right? And then all of a sudden Alfie Haubes was like, nah, he's not joining them. And we've basically had nothing else since. was It was a bit strange one to me, but he's only got, I think, six months left on his contract. He's kind of in a similar boat to to Joe Aribo, right?
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where he will be going probably at the end of the season if we don't offer him anything. But like I think a couple of people have celebrated that, I think, probably, from my opinion, in the wrong. like He's been one of the few players this season that like stepped up into places that we wouldn't have expected him to, right?
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where where like he's stepping in for fellows and pretty much anything that he's been given, he's done. Has he done them great? Probably not, because he's been played out of the position quite a few times. But considering when he joined us, there was a lot of conversation around his attitude and what type of player he was and, and you know, oh he's going to stab you in the back eventually and this and other. And then a lot of people kind of felt that when when Russell Martin went, right? And he wasn't really picked at all by Juric and it was just that he he picked he preferred Sulumana over Fraser and never really played him anywhere else.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then obviously we expected him to maybe go over the summer and then early games under Will Still, was picked quite a lot and he he was one of the few players I'd say put in effort every game he was in. So, yeah, I think when the time comes, it'll be sad to see him go.
00:10:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think he he has done a solid job f for us while being here. But again, if he's out of contract soon and he wants to move on, that's totally by his right. And I also think that we probably need to start replacing some of the the old guard cohort with fresh blood that aren't, I guess, don't have the emotional baggage of like the last couple of seasons.
00:10:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Again, we'll safe and save that for our player power episode, I So that's it for transfers out. So let's talk about transfers in.
Ben Garner's Coaching Potential
00:10:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ben Garner, who is our new coach or new assistant coach to Tonda Eckert. So, yeah, he he joined. And I feel bad for the fact that he's just managed a couple of second-rate league one sides and this, that, the other. George Roush-Elean did an excellent article.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
uh on who he is which means i'll probably not really bother doing a profile episode because like all of the information is there it's worth worth giving it really it will be in the description but i'll just give you an outline it's covered in that article so 45 year old coach who has played a role developing zaha klein and victor moses he has a reputation for helping younger players and a reputation for playing attacking football so He would also, like when he was at West Brom, would basically lead coaching from like Monday to Thursday, and then Tony Poulos would come in and do tactics on Friday. So not a lot behind the scenes, right? He's had previous roles at Colchester, Charlton, Swindon, and Bristol Rovers.
00:11:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And again, Lambert gave him his seal of approval when working under him at West Brom, although these are comments from 2019.
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knows what seven years will be to a man. In footballing terms, that can be an incredibly long time. In coaching terms, maybe not so much, especially if you ask somebody like Mr. Warnock. So it is what it is. But again, I kind of feel bad that you know it he took a... He got bit drive-by from me in my big run post-Middlesborough, right?
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because that game made me cross, and I'm still cross about it. But obviously he was announced like two or three hours before, so we've had absolutely zero influence. And maybe having experienced head around Tonda will help.
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's difficult because I also think that apparently that completes his coaching setup. And I just don't see the coaching setup we currently have as having the ability to get us where supposedly Sports Republic wants us to be.
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this might be to do with Spor's sort of weird trying to set up his own coaching team made out of various different people that don't know each other, right? We saw that early on with Will still not really bringing in any of his own coaching staff apart from one coach that he worked with in France.
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone else sort of being separately interviewed. And it's going to be difficult, I'm sure. and it just I think it's people want more excitement and pizzazz. That was never going to happen, I think, with coaching staff. Unless all a sudden they're bringing in really, really well-known big names that we'd expect.
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know i just don't see how that would happen. like No one was that excited with Trollope, despite the fact that he also got you know a team promoted to the Premier League, which probably, admittedly, whatever problems Luton are going having now, you know he is now back in the Premier League coaching a team that are going through significantly worse circumstances than we did last year.
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, it's a bit of a... It's a bit of a a weird one because in one sense, I can understand the argument of he doesn't it's not like exciting. He doesn't seem to like have the experience for what we want.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
The flip side of that is that I think we are so going to struggle with the position we're in to bring in the types of backroom staff that... people would want.
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then there's also the underlying argument to all of this, which is, does it matter if somebody behind the scenes is saying we need to play a specific way, we need to do a specific thing? Does doesn't really matter who's there as long as they can get the players to do what the players do?
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So hey-ho, everyone can have their own opinion on it, but we'll see if it makes a significant difference, right? Like for some people, they said that Danny Rohl the brains behind Hassenhutl
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know who knows what will happen going forward. So, moving on to a player.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Issa Doumbia He is a 22-year-old and plays for Serie B side of Venezia. He is a right-footed central midfielder. We have been linked with him over this window. Ugly Inside has written about it. The 72 has written about it.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's not really any other links other than that. But apparently we're after one, which seems seems very odd because it doesn't really look like it's a space we need reinforcing. Like if you said to any Saints fan, what do we need?
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Most wouldn't say another central midfielder. If somebody goes, so potentially if you end up having like, say, there were Rebo, Flynn Downs, because those are the only ones I could really see realistically going.
00:15:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, maybe it would be worth having something else, but also we're not really bringing in crazy experience either, right? We're we're once again looking at sort of young players. However, he is described as a very physically strong midfielder with excellent timing of insertion, but who could certainly grow in terms of scoring, who guarantees in all respects reliability and security in midfield.
00:15:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
According to Lagiovanni,
00:15:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
La Giovane Italia. So, yeah, all of that will be in the description if you want to have a look at the articles yourself. He has made a total of 44 appearances for his club with four goals and two assists and three appearances for the Italy under-21s. Supposedly, we are in competition with Club Bruges for a signature. I would say we're probably...
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
slightly more exciting prospects. But then Club Brews have also got international, sorry, European football. It just depends whether it gets their first team or anything, right? So we'll have to see. It just seems a bit of a weird one for me. Like, unless it's literally a signing for the future, the idea of us getting another central midfielder, so you could theoretically end up with Caspianda, Flynn Downs, Shea Charles, Oriol Romelu,
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cam Bragg, Joe Aribo, Matsuki can play there as well. like And then you're looking at right backs and it's like, wingers probably more, in my opinion, attacking reinforcements. but Hey ho, if we pick up that, it'll be slightly exciting anyway. I think it'll be good player from what I've seen so far.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, if you fancy checking him out, as I said, all of the stuff will be in the show description. And now onto the one that everybody cares about. So we're potentially picking up a new goalkeeper.
Goalkeeper Solution with Daniel Peretz?
00:16:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Daniel Peretz is set to join in Southampton. He has currently now finished his medical. It was done yesterday.
00:17:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that is a according to Florian Plettenberg or Plety Goal on X. We will pay £400,000 loan that was pound loan for you and we will retain an €8 million euro option to buy, which would be really, really good if he turns out to be pretty really good, right?
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Goalkeepers is a thing that me and Greg have discussed a lot. yeah A lot. We were baffled. Like, again, I still think that we should have never let Ramsdale go on loan.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
If he wanted to leave, we should have just let him leave, right? Right. because clearly, by the looks of the time he's having at Newcastle, he doesn't want to come back. He seems to absolutely love the club. He seems to be all of the the shots in the media and stuff. And he's now getting a bit of game time finally after starting on the bench quite a lot.
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
However, it it meant that we were stuck with this battle between Bazunu and McCarthy. Bazunu, who started in goal for still, didn't do that great.
00:18:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
came out, McCarthy was swapped McCarthy equally didn't do as great. The argument over whether we should put Baz in goal or McCarthy in goal, the constant, oh, well, McCarthy would have saved that, or, oh, no, Baz would have saved that. And in reality, i think most people have decided that neither are good enough to be a first-choice goalkeeper.
00:18:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, maybe Baz will mature into the role over time. Maybe he just needs more exposure. Maybe another loan deal will help. McCarthy is getting on a little bit now at this point and knows, you know, probably it's not going to be the first choice here.
00:18:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then on top of that, you've got the fact that we then got like a third goalkeeper to just like, know, make up the numbers with George Long, and right? Because obviously we needed a reserve goalkeeper just in case. But now there hasn't been anything about us sending him back yet as of when we're recording.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because if not, then technically we have Ramsdale, Bozunu, McCarthy, George Long, Dylan Moody and now Daniel Peretz So it's a big cohort of goalkeepers.
00:19:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's exciting. I think it's say it's it's finally a thing that we've we've all kind of known we've needed for for ages. I don't really understand why... It's taken so long for the powers that be to realise. And again, maybe they just gave, maybe they wanted to give powers a chance. Maybe after he came up from injury, maybe he was more up to it. Maybe he trained really, really well. And then obviously the reality of him in it and just the statistic behind it is that just like he's not as good as we need him to be.
00:19:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we're going to have potentially a new name in between, the you know, new person in between the sticks now. And hopefully he'll start to stop some goals and at least we won't end up losing 4-0, etc. But I do feel bad for Baz because if that ends up being his last game for us, it kind of very much reminds me of a Angus Gunn situation where Angus Gunn's last game was like the nine no to to Leicester, w right, before he moved on.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I don't know if that's necessarily the case. I think, you know, he's still a young guy. He's still got lots of time to develop and learn. I just think for the time being, we do we do need an experienced goalkeeper. And hopefully we will find that in Daniel Peretz. So moving quickly on, there there isn't much left to talk about. I saw some tenuous links elsewhere to Callum Wilson and other people that are now free agents. And again, that's more rumours than anything else. I'm not going to substantially back that.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's been a bit of a dry January so far for us when it comes to few transfers. But one in, one out is probably going to be more exciting than it was last year, right? but We haven't heard anything else about sort of any of the players on loan. We've heard nothing about whether or not Ben Brereton Diaz will stay at Derby or go elsewhere because he was rumoured to be going to the MLS or potentially further afield.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've also not heard anything about James Bree, who's still on loan at Charlton, same with a couple of other players, right? Charlie Taylor, Will Smallbone, who I know Smallbone's out, long-term injury still, to my knowledge.
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, we've not really heard anything else. Joe Aribo, who I would have expected to hear from sort rumours from day one, we've not heard anything at all so far either. So I guess we'll just have to watch this space and hopefully when we come round to talk about transfers next time around, there'll be something a little bit more exciting.
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
But for those that have stayed with me, thank you very much.
Closing Remarks and Social Media Encouragement
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are the Daily Saints pod, recently independent. So yeah, give us a like and a follow on all the socials.
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Facebook, X slash Twitter, the everything app, whatever you want to call it. Blue Sky, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We will be back tomorrow to talk about our game against Doncaster. I'm sure Greg will be back to his optimistic, buzzing self. I, however, will not be. I'm still mad.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nah, I don't know. We'll see what happens. But yeah, hopefully by that side, we'll have a new goalkeeper in the squad and things will start to look up again. But as we're all aware, everything does feel very fragile and tensions rising.
00:22:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's that. Thank you all for listening and we'll see you in the next one. Bye. Bye.