Whilst Saints have publicly hinted that they are not going to blow the £75 million about to drop into their bank for Virgil Van Dijk just for the sake of it, they are well aware they do need to spend a big chunk of it.

Saints have already stated in the past that they believe that January transfer windows see mainly inflated prices paid by clubs who are desperate to make a signing for one reason or another and that they do not intend to get too involved in January believing if they make the right signings in a summer window then January is not crucial.

But now they know they need to spend for more than one reason.

Firstly they know that they need to show a supporter base that rightly or wrongly is disenchanted at the moment, Saints would have hoped that the success of the last four years would have showed the supporters what they are trying to achieve and the blueprint for that success.

They would point to four top 8 finishes plus a major cup final as not only showing the progress that has been made, but also the undisputed fact that it is in terms of league the best period in the club's history.

They will feel disappointment that a section of the supporter base cannot accept anything other than year in year out improvement and that not only sometimes you have to take a step back, but there is a limit on what can be achieved in the short term at least.

Therefore they know they need to make a statement when it comes to spending the money, but they willtry to spend it wisely and not just for the sake of it.

Secondly they also know they need players in key positions, they know they need to replace Van Dijk, they gambled back in August that Van Dijk would knuckle down, but he appeared unable to do that, even though reports suggest that the club had indicated to him they would sell in January if the price was right, that has cost us dearly not just on the pitch but off it with morale at rock bottom.

Both the manager and Les Reed know that Saints success has been based on two strong central defenders, Fonte/Lovren, Fonte/ Alderweireld & Fonte/ Van Dijk, both last season and this that has not been the case, they know from recent results that although Wesley Hoedt has shown signs that he can be a quality player, he desperately needs someone alongside him of Premier class, that sadly is not either Yoshida or Jack Stephens, Saints know they have to unearth another gem and that has been much of their concentration in the past four months.

But they also know that they need more up front, Charlie Austin is good but injury prone, Manolo Gabbiadini is class but does not fit the system under the present manager and sadly Sane Long is looking a shadow of his former self, although a lot of that could be motivation.

Thirdly Saints know they need to win a few games and pull clear of the relegation battle, no more words are needed on this accept that we are a decent side being poorly managed at present.

So Saints supporters can expect at least two new signings, a striker and a central defender as a minimum and names are already being linked with the striking role.

The Liverpool Echo are very close to their two Premier League clubs , so when they say something although it might not always happen, it usually has more substance than most rumours and they are saying that Daniel Sturridge could be on his way to St Mary's.

Sturridge is way down the pecking order at Anfield but that is not surprising when you look at the talent Klopp has at his disposal, Salah, Firminho, Mane & Firmino are his "Fab Four" but add to that Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and their latest hope Solanke and you can see why Sturridge is struggling for game time.

But Saints seem unwilling to buy him outright at least initially, probably due to his injury record and are looking at a loan deal with a possible option to buy at the end, certainly Sturridge could be a good short term fix for Saints.

The Liverpool Echo suggest that the Van Dijk deal is not linked to any other possible transfer between the two clubs either Sturridge or Danny Ings another possible loan signing for Saints, however there seems to be a thawing of the frosty relationship between the two clubs and I would be surprised if there weren't some talking done.

Another to be linked is former Saint Theo Walcott, that also has some strong whispers in the press, Walcott has never fulfilled his potential at Arsenal and he will turn 29 in March, he will be aware that next summers World Cup will be his last and that he needs to be in a team where he is playing every week, if he gets that and finds his form then he may have a chance of going.

Defensively Saints are not being linked to anyone yet although Fulham wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon who can play at left back or as a winger is mentioned by the Liverpool Echo, however Saints black box is working overtime and there are believed to be a at least a dozen names in the frame to replace Van Dijk who the club believe could do the job.

So there will be money spent this window, but the message coming out of the club is that they are not panic buying, they will get in players in the two areas they see as key and although this season may not be as good as the last four, they feel they will be stronger by the end of it and will go into the summer with money to spend.

Photo: Action Images

DockersRottingCorpse added 10:25 - Dec 29 If you add the van Dijk money to the parachute payments, we should be able to make a statement of intent in the championship.
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petedoors1 added 10:36 - Dec 29 Success of the last four years would have showed the supporters what they are trying to achieve. Are you joking? Last season and this season the football played by Saints has been dire and cant be called a success. Success stopped when Ronald Koeman and his brother left. Relegation looks likely now unless we get a new manager or start playing with two strikers.
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TeamCortese added 10:42 - Dec 29 Brilliant interview with Cortese. Puts a lot into perspective about what's going on behind the scenes. https://talksport.com/football/listen-former-southampton-chief-nicola-cortese-re
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brownk added 10:47 - Dec 29 Time to stop moaning and get behind the team otherwise we all lose! It seems that some have forgotten how competitive the PL is and all the clubs are spending money. Some so called supporters find any reason to be negative about the club. If that's all you can offer why bother as your support won't be missed!
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IWOZTHERE added 11:19 - Dec 29 You don't have to 'find' reasons to be negative, they are 'in your face' and can't be ignored. You carry on supporting a regime whose actions are damaging the club, if you like!
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steadyeddie added 11:20 - Dec 29 It seems strange to say that a player leaving - albeit for a record fee - and transfer targets being mentioned, I feel more optimistic for the rest of the Season. Am I being foolish or naive or both?
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halftimeorange added 11:39 - Dec 29 Whilst Sturridge might walk into the Saints team as it is, he doesn't answer the problem we have of no height up front. The same can be said of Walcott. Supporters are not simply disenchanted, we are bored. Even if Saints are still in a game late on it's hard to become enthusiastic over the continual sideways or back passing that is regularly practiced by our midfield. Gabbiadini could be a success if only somebody would play him through - but they never do. I think the goalkeeping coaching needs to be closely scutinised. How come Forster rarely appears to shout and doesn't flatten his team mates and anybody else around if they bar his way to the ball. He should be shown videos of Tim Flowers bullying his area, not to mention that you could hear him swearing at his ineffectual colleagues at the opposite end of the ground. The other key factor is we don't have a distinct leader on the pitch. There is no Noble or Morgan type who the other players will take notice of. Hobjberg looks as though he could fill that role - he certainly motivated them when he came on at Wembley, urging them not to play so deep but, there again, it doesn't matter how well he plays, he'll just as likely be on the bench against the damned United. Getting behind the team isn't enough. The team has to be balanced and certain of what they are required to do. You don't successfully complete a jigsaw and then take out a few key pieces and try to put them back in a different order. That's what is happening with our team at the moment.

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saintpp added 11:54 - Dec 29 Have to agree with Nick and disagree with petedoors comment. The last four years have been the most successfull for league positions in our history,Fact. Sounds like one of those fans who want entertainment and results sometimes you cant have both,remember Blackpool were entertaining in the Pl but where are they now. The board have achieved a level of consistency which we have never had but have picked the wrong manager this time and unless he is sacked soon could lead us to relegation.

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brownk added 13:07 - Dec 29 Time to stop moaning and get behind the team otherwise we all lose! It seems that some have forgotten how competitive the PL is and all the clubs are spending money. Some so called supporters find any reason to be negative about the club. If that's all you can offer why bother as your support won't be missed!
1

SanMarco added 13:59 - Dec 29 Isn't the constant argument about negative vs positive rather pointless. These things are always about a particular timeframe. Surely it is perfectly consistent to say that in the period from third division up to Koeman leaving things were as good as you could ever hope for. The last 18 months on the other hand have been very disappointing. Full stop. You would expect the fans to be a bit disenchanted at the moment. I would almost say it would be odd if we weren't a bit down. The great majority of us always knew that we couldn't keep going up and up and that a slump would come. My problem sitting here TODAY is that this slump could become a lot more serious if we don't do something about it in the transfer window and I do not trust the man in charge of the transfers or the manager (I am also totally in the dark about the owner's intentions). Yes it was pretty good when we won at Spurs 18 months ago - I can't imagine it softened the pain for the hardy souls who went to Wembley the other day!!! Happy new year to everyone, especially Nick - TUI is an important part of supporting the Saints for me: Long may it continue.

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SaintBrock added 14:20 - Dec 29 The past is no indication of what might happen in future. The good days are behind us and we have to accept this. We are in a new era but with the sale of van Dyke it looks suspiciously like the last one. Everything changes, everything remains the same. The new owner seems to have studied the Southampton Way (TSW) and is now seemingly on course to adopt it as his own. We thought TSW was about matters on the pitch when of course it was nothing of the sort. TSW its about sheep rearing, selling the best on as prime lamb whilst leaving the mutton to graze in the field as best they can. Why would a friend of Liebherr be any different to a Liebherr? Birds of a feather stick together whatever the language.

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ExiledSupporter added 21:55 - Dec 29 Nick, while you are right to focus on which positions are the priority for strengthening, I think you completely misjudge the clubs intentions of repacing VVD. I see no evidence that neither Reed nor MP2 think that the three existing centrebacks (Yoshida, Stephens and Hoedt) will not be good enough to see out this season and they feel, perhaps complacently, that these three plus Gardos and Bednarek as reserves will do! They must be thinking of someone to lead the line and perhaps that is Giroud (or possibly Slimani on loan); someone to galvanise the midfield (personally I hope that would be Wilshere) and someone to attack down the right where Redmond has been very disappointing this season.

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SaintBrock added 13:45 - Dec 30 Truth be told, Pellegrino looked tense and mightily pissed off at his pressie when asked about possible incoming transfers in January and his own role in them. I have never seen him so frustrated. He picked his words with so much caution that it was pretty obvious that his relationship with Les leaves a lot to be desired. It's what he didn't say that tells us more about what's going on "indoors" For a start he more or less said that he wanted to keep van Dyke here but had had no say in his sale which clearly made him angry. Reading between the lines, it seems he already knows that we'll get nobody in or nobody of any quality to make a difference.

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SaintBrock added 13:49 - Dec 30 The last four years have been the most successfull for league positions in our history,Fact. Er no saintpp NOT Fact! your history needs brushing up
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bstokesaint added 15:59 - Dec 30 PL history Brock. Come on you know that’s what he was saying! We don’t all remember a glorious period before that! I really hope we reinvest that money because without a new centre back or someone to fill in for Austin we’re in big trouble. We already need to have selected more than appropriate replacements and without panicking calmly show us all we had nothing to worry about. I’m struggling to believe that will be the case, but it’d just be nice to hope that it is.

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