It’s been a busy weekend and beginning to the week for Southampton fans who follow transfer rumours in football’s ‘silly season’.
The first rumour that caught my eye was that goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was a target for Tottenham Hotspur following his form for us. This rumour seems to span back almost a week to the Mirror and it’s simply been rehashed since then – that could in fact tell you all you need to know about the suggestion that having established himself as first choice, he’ll now jump ship to go and play back up to Hugo Lloris.
They also tentatively link him with promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arsenal and Liverpool.
By virtue of this speculation, with McCarthy hopefully due to sit down with the club and extend his deal with him out of contract next summer, it follows that the next step is to link us with a replacement.
That becomes third choice Liverpool stopper Danny Ward according to HITC who appear to lean on absolutely nothing of note when suggesting it.
Having impressed for Wales and Huddersfield in particular, it’s easy to see why Ward has been linked but I’d imagine our Board would rather get Fraser Forster back to his best and send a statement with McCarthy’s future being confirmed.
In other news the Daily Echo have confirmed Florin Gardos’ departure – which we knew – but he has now signed for Craiova back in Romanian – they were the side he was on loan with last season. Four years at St Mary’s saw him dogged by injury and he only made 18 appearances all in.
Jeremy Pied has also moved on following his release, and Mauricio Pellegrino is back in work with La Liga side Leganes.
The Mirror are also reporting that we are battling with Tottenham for Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Switzerland international is said to have a release fee of £12million following their relegation from the Premier League and the suggestion is Mark Hughes is very keen to reunite with him.
Shaqiri has recently confirmed he will leave this summer.
“It is no longer a secret that I will leave Stoke City. I think the Premier League is perfect for me. I would love to stay in England, but I do not want to rule anything out. It is the best league with the best players – simple.”
Knowing Hughes how he does and given Hughes’ reliance on him at Stoke over the years, I can certainly see some truth in this one and wouldn’t be overly against it myself. I doubt many Saints fans would be as we look for more of a clinical edge up top next term, but there are consistency issues.
The only other bit of speculation of note comes from Italian outfit Tuttosport (via football italia). They say we have joined Leicester City and West Ham United in the chase for Lazio’s Felipe Anderson.
The right-sided Brazilian midfielder is said to be two-footed and the 25-year-old winger scored eight and created ten assists in his 32 appearances last season where he mainly played in the hole and it’s believed he’s available for around the £22.5million mark.
I know nothing of the player, but some fans seem very excited by the prospect, even they don’t rate our chances of capturing him.
Would love for him to sign for us! However both Leicester and West Ham would out do us on wages and I just dont trust this board to get deals done.
— Paul Carradus (@lifelongsaint83) June 3, 2018
18 direct goal involvements in 23 games inc sub appearances ????
— Alex (@Alzy077) June 3, 2018
Sign him up! Let Tadic, Carrillo and Forster go! Keep Gabbi, Cedric, Bertrand, Lemina and McCarthy! Sign also Promes, Sisto and a commanding CB and we are pretty much done!
— Jarkko Hårdh (@HardhJarkko) June 4, 2018
If we get him then I won't say anything negative in a year. He's immense
— Thomas Levcovich (@TheGifKing) June 4, 2018
