This was undoubtably the busiest transfer deadline day in the history of Southampton FC since it was first introduced around 20 years ago, 4 signings came through the door and 7 went in the other direction.

After the window firmly shut Saints will surely be happy with the business they have done, it appears that they have signed the 4 players that they had targeted in the final day of the transfer window and they managed to get 7 players off the books, 2 of those on permanent deals.

The day started slowly and it was sad new for Saints supporters, Oriol Romeu left for his home country Spain & joined Girona in a permanent move, next up was a deal that had seemingly been completed the day before but wasn't officially announced to early evening and that was the departure of Jack Stephens on loan to Bournemouth.

It would be a few hours before the next announcements, but they would now come thick and fast, goalkeeper Matteuz Lis was going on loan to Troyes in France and Jake Vokins to Woking also on loan.

Next up was Dynel Simeu to Tranmere Rovers also on loan. By now we were in the final 2 1/2 hours of the window and 5 players had left the club on the day, but no incoming yet.

It would be around 9.15pm before the first signing was announced and now they would come thick and fast, first up was Ainsley Maitland-Niles on a season long loan with an option to buy and he was followed around 20 minutes later by the news that Samuel Edozie had been signed from Manchester City on a permanent deal.

10pm arrived with the news that Yan Valery had departed on a permanent transfer to Angers in France, so with an hour left in the window we had 6 out but only 2 in, some would be getting worried.

it would be 10.25pm before the next news and it was incoming again with Juan Larios arriving from Manchester City also a permanent deal, but with 35 minutes left in the window where was the central defender that we were after ?

News also appeared on Sky Sports around this time that Nathan Redmond was the subject of a late bid from Bournemouth for his services on loan, but the final hour was approaching.

The first glimmer of hope that all was well was when Aston Villa announced that they had Jan Bednarek on loan with the window about to shut, surely we would not let him go until we had secured our last target.

That proved to be the case when the 4th and final signing of the day central defender Duje Ćaleta-Car from Marseille was announced almost on the stroke of 11pm.

Thus ended a deadline day that had seen the club complete 11 transactions 4 in and 7 out, to make it a grand total for this transfer window of 10 signings made and 21 players leaving the club of which 7 were permanent departures and 14 were out on loan.

The full list is below.

Outgoings

Fraser Forster (Tottenham)

Shane Long (Reading)

Harry Lewis (Bradford)

Will Ferry (Cheltenham Town)

Kayne Ramsay (Harrogate Town)

Oriol Romeu (Girona)

Yan Valery (Angers)

Loans
Caleb Watts (Morecambe)

Kazeem Olaigbe (Ross County)

Dan N’Lundulu (Cheltenham Town)

Will Smallbone (Stoke City)

Kegs Chauke (Exeter City)

Thierry Small (Port Vale)

Jack Bycroft (Taunton Town)

Nathan Tella (Burnley)

Will Tizzard (Chippenham Town)

Mateusz Lis (Troyes)

Dynel Simeu (Tranmere Rovers)

Jack Stephens (AFC Bournemouth)

Jake Vokins (Woking)

Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa)

Incomings

Mateusz Lis (Altay SK)

Gavin Bazunu (Manchester City)

Armel Bella-Kotchap (Bochum)

Romeo Lavia (Manchester City)

Joe Aribo (Rangers)

Sekou Mara (Bordeaux)

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal - loan)

Samuel Edozie (Manchester City)

Juan Larios (Manchester City)

Duje Caleta-Car (Marseille)

So numerically Saints will have been very happy with these numbers, they will fee they have made 10 signings who Mateusz Lis aside are all in contention for a first team place, although 7 of them are promising youngster, there are also 3 experienced players in Joe Aribo, Ainsley Maitland- Miles and Duje Caleta-Car.

They will feel they have struck the right balance and improved the squad.

Of the 21 players that have left, only 5 perhaps 6 could have been said to have been truly in contention for a first team place and they will feel that all of those have been adequately replaced, Romeo Lavia has already shown he can replace Oriol Romeu for instance and Gavin Bazunu in for Fraser Forster, those two being the only first choice players who have gone.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl had seemed certain another striker would be coming in, I think that perhaps it was a little stalking horse, we did not seem to be really chasing any in the final days, I think that our strategy has evolved a little in the last few weeks, we are looking at playing with only a central striker and having him supported by two wide players, a little similar as to how Ronald Koeman set out his side.

That being the case, we have three strikers at the club who can play in either of these positions and we can utilise the likes of Naitland-NIles & Edozie in those wide positions, indeed Edozie has been deployed through the centre at Manchester City's youth teams.

Perhaps the club will feel the only downside of the day will be the failure to get Theo Walcott and Nathan Redmond out on loan, truth is neither were going to go permanently due to high wages, but we could have done with getting them off the books.

In the case of Walcott I'm not sure he will get into the squad, although I think Nathan Redmond could still do a job if needed.

All in all though the club will feel that they have got some wages both big & small off the wage bill to clear the path for the new signings.

So this was perhaps not only the busiest final day, but also the busiest transfer window since the process was started 20 years ago, even the biggest Saints sceptic about the club, cannot deny that we have had a good clear out and signed some decent additions to the squad, some of which have already shown their class.

As a squad we are in a far better shape than we were a year ago even before yesterday's dealings, even more so now.

The new owners have shown their commitment and made good on Martin Semmens claim back in January that they would be fine tuning the strategy already in place and giving us the ability to get things done more quickly.

So in many respects the doom & gloom of only a month ago has started to subside, so now is the time to back the club and manager to get things right, time to forget the past and not let it drag us down, time to judge everyone on what happens going forward not was has happened and can't be changed.

Photo: Action Images

Bawdrip added 09:18 - Sep 2 Yeah good business all round though another striker would have been ideal.
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mattlegod added 09:24 - Sep 2 I like the look of what is happening with Saints, a team to compete now, some future proofing and some potential profit down the line. Sad Oriol had to go but totally understand the other outgoings. I am surprised Redmond and Walcott didn't go but they remain good squad members. Perhaps a top 10 finish this season is achievable...
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Monksway added 09:42 - Sep 2 Looks like we have a competitive squad of 25now including Walcott and Redmond. The January window is 15 or so games away at which point we'll know if the team has gelled around the new systems and if Nathan and Theo have been able to force their way back in. I don't think either are disruptive influences and Theo always seems very supportive of the youngsters.
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highfield49 added 09:43 - Sep 2 Thanks for that Nick, I don't envy you the task of keeping an eye on all the comings and goings. I think the refreshed squad has huge potential, even beyond the current good form. Considering the failure of several clubs to improve their teams I'm even more confident of a decent season ahead. The number of players out on loan is staggering, hopefully the clubs involved will be paying a decent chunk of the wage bill. I guess Redmond, Walcott and others are now willing to let their contracts run down rather than play football at another club.

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Ifonly added 09:54 - Sep 2 Congrats to the new owners and the talent scouts. Good job. My only concern is with the strikers. If we play with 1 central striker, it should really be someone more physical than our 3 options. They should be able to hold the ball up and be good in the air. That's not the strength of our 3, or what we've got in reserve. So I can see a lot of our attacks breaking down against premier league centre backs and we might struggle for goals. But we can't have everything. I think this window is a big step forward and sets us up for a good season.

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A1079 added 10:39 - Sep 2 Thanks Nick for the summary as I had lost my way with it all so very useful to have that break down. On the face of it, it appears to have been a good window though if I am honest I had not heard of most of the players until yesterday. The only concern is our attack is weak if we get injuries with Adams or Armstrong and it may need the midfield to help come up with some goods but as someone says, you can't have everything at once. Whether we are a stronger or better squad or not is far too early to say. I think we can only judge that towards the season end but what we cannot complain about (me included) is that some real effort has gone into this window and I think it could be exciting.

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WestSussexSaint added 11:19 - Sep 2 On the face it it the squad is stronger at the end of the window than when it opened. Time will tell if all the new faces work out and I do wonder it all are an improvement on some of those that have left on loan (Smallbone, Tella etc.), as I say time will tell. With so many out on loan until the end of the season it is worth remembering that they will return to the club next summer. Many will no longer in Ralph’s plans so the key in the next summer window will be to permanently move these players on. Something will need to give as we will have a massively bloated squad. Hopefully a few who have left will find the loan experience enhances their standing and they force their way back to the squad reckoning. No need to comment on those who have left on loan as they are technically still our players but we need to acknowledge the contributions of Romeu and Valery and wish them well in the rest of their careers.

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davidargyll added 11:47 - Sep 2 We used to bemoan the fact that the squad was lacking in talent. And now look at us. Is it 9 under 21 internationals? Or more? Whatever I’ve lost count, but, if the latest bunch are anywhere like as good as the earlier joiners, we’ve got some real class…
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LondonSaint76 added 16:36 - Sep 2 Well, that was a bit of a different window to what we are all used to! Thanks to Nick for the comprehensive round-up of all the movements in and out, very helpful. Yes, it would have been the icing on the cake to have got a scorer with good stats in but as has been said we can’t have everything. The Jan window is but 4 months away with an extended break for the World Cup at which our new recruitment team may spot something worth investing in from the vast array of talent on show. A good friend is a Citeh fan (born & bred in Salford so not a plastic) and he is fuming over Lavia and also Edozie both of whom he rates highly enough to say they could both have ‘done a Foden’ and saved the Club millions in the transfer market. He’s not alone, apparently Citeh fans have taken to social media up there aftervia’s goal demanding the Club buy him back! This is good to hear from a proper MC fan and a feeling us Saints fans have been only too familiar with starting with the exits of Bale, Theo & Ox C. Also brilliant news to hear that our latest in-house potential wonder-kid Tyler Dibling is back after just three weeks away at Chelsea. Watch that space for 2025 if not sooner …. So, hopefully the future is bright, the future is white with a broad red stripe!

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kenis added 18:39 - Sep 2 Happy with the transfer business but we do look lacking a central defender with the loan departures plus Valery exit. Just four with Salisu having the most PL experience is a bit of a worry. Has Lavia played there in his development? I also don’t mind at all that Theo and Redmond are still at the club, they are both excellent players and I hope they benefit from the extra energy the squad changes will bring and feel lifted / motivated to re discover their glory days as I’m sure they will be called upon at some point with all the games to play. On a slightly less serious note, the main thing that has a little niggle in back of my brain is the squad numbers they have chosen! AMN at 3? Surely 6 was there for the taking or if already gone you go >11 if you want to be seen as a central midfielder! DCC could have had 5. Madness!

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felly1 added 21:38 - Sep 2 I'm happy with all the new signings and feel more confident about this season. Would have still preferred another out and out striker preferably a big fella to push Che and provide competion.
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