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Who Will Be Koeman's Top Targets ? Tuesday, 17th Jun 2014 09:55
With Ronald Koeman now installed as Saints manager the rumour mill will go into overdrive about just who he will target to bring into the Club over the summer.
Initially Koeman's job will be made that much harder in that until he has met all the players he will not be sure just who will be going and who will be staying, the likelihood is that Saints will lose another couple, but will hang on to most of the squad, however the departures will mean that Koeman will probably have the biggest transfer budget outside of the top six clubs in the Premier.
Before the speculation began about who would and who would not depart there would have been money earmarked for incoming transfers, this has already been augmented by the fee's recieved not only for Mauricio Pochettino and his staff where Spurs will have had to have shelled out about £2.5 million, but from Liverpool for Rickie Lambert, this means that before anymore players are sold Saints have approximately £6.5 million extra to spend, the sale of Shaw and Lallana alone could add £50 million to that kitty, this would mean most clubs would be casting envious glances towards St Mary's with Koeman having about £60 million to spend.
Ideally of course Saints would hang on to both Shaw and Lallana, but if they dont and hold on to the rest of the squad then we will be in a very strong position.
So who would Koeman be targetting ?
It is easy to start with his old club Feyenoord and the first name mentioned is Lex Immers, signed by Koeman in 2012 Immers is a midfielder who can also play as a forward, in his two seasons at Feyenoord, Immers who turned 28 last week has had two identical years, playing 32 games and scoring 12 goals in both seasons is the Eridivisie.
Previously Immers played for his hometown club ADO Den Hague where in five seasons he made 145 League appearances and scored 25 times before signing for Feyenoord for around £1 million on a four year deal in 2012.
Clearly this is a player who Koeman has signed for a cheap fee and considerably improved as a player.
Feyenoord have reportably agreed a fee of 7.5 million Euros with Lazio for the player, but the deal has stalled in the past couple of weeks, possibly because of Koeman's links with Saints.
Immer would not perhaps be seen as a marque signing, however over the past 15 months under Pochettino what has become clear is that the ex manager concentrated on building a team rather than a squad, he concentrated on a nucleus of 15 players rather than on a squad overall, perhaps now we can build on that nucleus to make the squad stronger and Immers would fit that bill being a goalscoring midfield player, something we have lacked.
Another Feyenoord player being linked with a move from Saints is Graziano Pelle a 6ft 4 inch striker, like Immers, Pelle has been at Feyenoord for two seasons, the first of which was on loan from Parma in his native Italy, again like Immers he has blossomed under Koemans with 27 goals from 29 games in his first season and 23 goals from 28 games in his second.
Pelle is a late developer in that until he joined Feyenoord he had had mixed results with a number of clubs in both Italy and Holland, certainly he would be a reasoably priced target for Saints who need to consider Rickie Lambert's replacement, the drawback might be his age, he will turn 29 in June and is under contract to Feyenoord till the summer of 2017, but those who cite age as being a problem should remember that Rickie Lambert was only a year younger than Pelle when he joined Saints.
These are the first two names being touted as possible transfers into Saints and certainly both look likely to be in positions we will need to strengthen next season, what is clear from the statements being put out by both Ronald Koemans and the club is that the clock has not just started ticking, Saints have certainly been working for some time on possible transfer targets and it seems that Koeman himself has not been idle and has possibly been working closely with Saints for a week or two in identifying those targets.
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Immer’s strikes me as a bit of a bargain buy and a risk, not sure about the link to Lazio but he was on his way to the Championship in January with Middlesbrough. Pelle I agree looks to fit the bill but I can't help thinking a younger player would be more attractive and may hold a larger sell on fee. I'm personally think we should be looking at going all out for a Wilfred Bony, or perhaps Benteke whilst he's injured and Villa clearly need the money. These transfer fee's are not unfeasible given we are likely to sell Lallana, Shaw and Lovren in the not to distant future. What does everyone else think?
The two players you mention would appear to be good acquisitions to strengthen the squad. Given that Dejan Lovren seems intent on a move I'm sure RK will also have the position of CB earmarked as area requiring at least one addition. Even if DL stays, we could still use another player in this position. Virgil Van Dijk at Celtic is known to RK and had a good season last time around, albeit against very average opposition. Exciting times ahead.
Pelle looks a dominating skillful forward who can really finish well. He has grown under Koeman who clearly trusts Pelle despite his latin temperament and short fuse. Will he fit in with the group is a question after last seasons experiences? Despite his age after watching his highlights on youtube I would be excited if we signed him - for the right price. Can't see Benteke coming here. Poss Bony but I doubt it. Maybe Koeman's name may add to the gravity of Saints...and the extra money. A goal scoring MF like Immers (who I have not seen) is needed would be a good replacement for Guly.
No...not Lescott, never! Why would we want a player who cannot even get into the England team.
Not sure about Ings, unproven at this level and unclear about whether he is good enough to take us further...but then I could have said that about Rodrigues when we signed him. No I'd rather have a ready made striker like Lukaku or Benteke.
I like the sound of Van Dijk and perhaps Pelle, but would add Zaha, Hatem Ben Arfa, perhaps Immers (if Ramires goes), a left back and another centre back (assuming Lallana, Shaw and Lovren all go for big money and we get some cash back for Osvaldo)plus a serious contender for Boruc's place...oh yes, and secure Corky now.
Lukaku, Benteke, Bony? No chance guys. All those players wont be looking for sideways moves but to clubs in the champions league, that's if we could even afford their fees. Remember Benteke was a 25 million target for Spurs last year and that was before he signed a new contract. Even Lescott must be on well over a hundred grand a week at city and would be well out of what we can and should be paying in wages.
Check this Dutch U21 player, kid is amazing. His 20 minute hat-trick is worth a watch. Quincey Promese
I have to agree with GeordieSaint that we are very unlikely to be able to sign a player like Lukaku or Bony due to other takers who can offer CL football. It shouldn't stop us trying to sign players like that it’s just the chances are against us.
Who we sign is completely determined by who leaves. If Shaw, Lallana, Lovren, Ramirez and Osvaldo are all sold then Saints will have a huge amount of cash to spend and will need to sign 5 or 6 quality replacements. There's plenty of talented young players in Holland/Europe that RoKo will know all about.
My fear is that if the club let Shaw, Lallana and Lovren leave then we'll never find replacements as good as what they were last season. Other players would also look to leave. The performances on the pitch could really slide due to losing key players and buying replacements who take time to adjust. The club are in a precarious position right now, and we'll find out this summer just how much power players have over their clubs. Can Saints really just turn round to Shaw, Lallana and Lovren and tell them they are under contract and will not be sold?
I don't think any of our players are going, also the replacement for Lambert has got to be Charlie Austin he'll need to be taught the saints way and cost a lot of money but he'll be worth it, a couple more have to come from the academy or be released and 30-40 mill to spend that's providing were building and not going for the jugular of top 4, Torres on a free would be fantastic.
I's like to see Zaha at Saints. The kid has bags of talent and Saints could be just the right club to get the best out of him again. Palace had a simular philosophy to Saints of blooding young talent two years ago but the Man Utd move was wrong and certainly at the wrong time, as was Cardiff with their struggles too.
Looking forward to some fresh faces at the club this season though.
I've been saying all along, we are heading into very exciting times, Cortese out long term liability. Pocchetino out, he was just a stepping stone for us! Lambert out, good business, Rickie would only have been an impact sub this season, he looked awfully tired the latter part of the season and the goals had dried up. Lallana had an excellent season, but not so good the season before could he replicate, replaceable definitely. It wouldn't surprise me if Ramirez stepped up to the plate of being THE creative midfielder and shone. Luke Shaw out, Matt Targett comes in and shows why so many tipped him before injury as better then Luke. Lovren would be the most difficult, as his play and leadership inspired so much confidence. But Virgil Van Dijk - Celtic looks like a great prospect, confident and relaxed on the ball. Let's not forget the huge presence of Davis, Cork, Schneiderlin, Wanyama and Ward Prowse in midfield. Up front Pelle sounds ideal a few extra goals won't go amiss, we were woefully lacking. Immers slotting home 12 would be handy.
So world class manager, with a great backroom team and a rather wonderful contact list, inherits a brilliant squad a world class academy and a rather large war chest, I think we're going to be okay
I think your underestimating the impact that selling your best players has on the rest of the squad. Players like Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Clyne, Chambers and JRod will not be best pleased to see others being sold and may want moves themselves. Right move for the club or not it doesn’t reflect much ambition or do anything for team morale. Haven’t seen enough of Targett playing in the first team to comment. Hopeful of another exciting season but I cant help injecting some realism into the debate…those players sold will not and can not be replaced by equal quality. Simply because that type of player will either be to expensive or will want CL football.
Firstly even the Champions League teams can't accommodate all the highest class players mentioned variously above
Second, a proven striker to replace RL is within our means if we do end up selling Shaw, Lallana and Lovren (and offloading Osvaldo for even half the price we paid for him) leaving enough over for other less expensive players with potential, as per others mentioned above.
To move forward we need a seriously talented striker and some other very solid, progressive other replacements. If we have only sold Lambert and Shaw by the end of the window I will be more than happy and can still budget to chase one of the two that I would choose plus funds already set aside for squad strengthening even before Pochettinno left.
What worries me most about losing Lambert is not so much the goals he scores but the chances he creates for others. His passing and offloads were at times, sublime.
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