Absolute massive signing for Southampton! Been linked with Spurs, Inter, City and Liverpool but he's now moving to Southhampton. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11700/7997121/Saints-agree-record-deal
I was stunned when I saw this news. £11.8m is a huge commitment for a newly promoted team, especially one that has suffered such terrible financial problems in the past. I hope they are not gambling their survival on staying in the Premier League this season. That is a dangerous game to play.
Especially so since they already spent £7m on Jay Rodriguez before this, not to mention the amount for Clyne.
Their owner was worth £3bn...until he died 2 years ago. Now the club are owned by the trustees of his estate. It's a bit of a strange situation. If the club starts losing money I'm not sure what the trustees would do. It's not a situation they have had to deal with yet as they've had 2 successive promotions.
This is good news for potential suiters. If he can have a successful campaign for Southampton I expect one of the top sides to consider making a move, let's then see if he can take to the pace & physicallity of the Premier League.
When asked about how he felt to be leaving Bologna and transfering to Southampton he said, "It is an offer that you cannot refuse. They will give me so much money (€2 million net per year and more than €1 million signing-on fee)."
Didn't see this one coming. Figured he would be end up at a top 6 team. Could be a very good signing for Southampton!
Just heard they beat inter to his signature and thought "it really comes to something when Inter cant even beat Southampton to the signing of a top kid"
This seems very strange, in a way it would be a great coup for them, but you often see these investments backfire for small clubs.
What the...? If they get him on a long-term contract this could be great business to be fair. It's a lot to spend on one player in your first season back in the Prem though.
Hope they don't go the same route as their neighbours... have teams learned their financial lesson in 2012? Have they f**k
Overpaid for Jay but he's got potential, got a bargain for Ramirez who is already a quality player and will get better.
Southampton should be fine. They've got an inexperienced but talented squad. Clyne, Rodriguez, Sharp, Cork, Lambert, Davis, Lallana and Ramírez are all very good players. I would worry about their defence though. They could be the Norwich City of last season.
