30 May 2014 10:36:47
Lambert to Liverpool done. Believed to be 4mil plus add-ons. Les Reed okayed this one. not being left to the new manager. It was considered too good an opportunity for Rickie to pass up.

Shame but if anyone deserves his shot at big club in the last few years of his career then its Rickie Lambert. He has been a legend for us and I wish him all the success in the world.

onwards and upwards. COYR!

1.) 30 May 2014
How can this be all but done the transfer window doesn't open until June 9th

2.) 30 May 2014
I feel this is start of an exodus - as a Saints fan since 1979 I was full of optimism when we finished 8th. But what message does selling our better players send to any prospective managers, we're less likely to attract that high-calibre manager when we have the sold are best assets.

The board have contradicted their recent statements and greater transparency and respect is needed to be shown to Saints fans

3.) 30 May 2014
I don't think anyone can begrudge Rickie a chance to play for his boyhood club and earn one last big paycheck and play in the CL, I wish him the best of luck and my thanks for his massive part in our rebirth. the #7 shirt is now up for grabs I hope that the next player to wear it can achieve the same legendary status as its previous owners.

4.) 30 May 2014
@Tommo - Players can sign for other teams at any time, they just don't become official until the window opens

@willsa - The board haven't contradicted anything, they said no bids have been accepted, yet, but it's likely they will be, on Southampton's terms. They've also released a official statement through Krueger once a month since he came in as well as TV/Radio interviews, there's no lack of transparency

Losing Lambert isn't the end of the world, he's on his way out (probably just had his last good season), it gives us space in the squad and a bit of extra money to get someone younger (Hoping we're in for Bony) and if the quoted figures are right it's good business from Southampton

5.) 30 May 2014
I don't want to stop Lamberts move and at the reported 9 million I would say fair play! but i'm hearing its only 4 million? that can't be right for an england international and one of only a handful of strikers in europe to get more than ten goals and ten assists last season? does anyone else think 4 million is not enough for our leg end?

6.) 30 May 2014
Saintysaintsaint in Kreugers ssn statement he said no transfers would happen until a new manager was appointed. that's contradiction. Ed 1 pointed out that Ricky has pushed this through and personally I wish him well but Krueger should know better than to make those kind of comments if this was going to be allowed to happen.

7.) 30 May 2014
Also, I agree with SaintySaintSaint. The club has never contradicted themselves, the fee will have been on Reed's terms. As for Lambert himself, this would be the greatest moment of his life, if any other club had made a bid like this it would've been rejected but Liverpool really mean something to him.

8.) 30 May 2014
He said they wanted to wait until they knew MoPo was staying or not, nothing about the new manager

9.) 30 May 2014
Read it again mate
"Any transfers that take place will be under our terms. We will decide the terms to potential transfers in and out of the club.

"We will involve the manager. That is important for everybody to know. That's why we have been able to not agree to any transfers to date, because we have control of the situation, and anybody who is saying anything else doesn't understand that we are in a strong position with the Saints. "

10.) 30 May 2014
Maybe I read a badly quoted one somewhere then haha but it said something along the lines of 'we wanted to know the manager situation before reviewing bids'

maybe that means we've sorted a manager though?

11.) 30 May 2014
It's a contradiction, plain and simple.
If it can't be substantiated or backed up with action then by definition it's a contradiction, double standards call it what you want. Selling our best players now does not send out a positive message, nor will it attract the high-calibre manager. We need to sustain what we have and build on that. I'm just wondering what the impact of RL's sale on the rest of the squad will be; hopefully not a domino effect