Southampton Rumours Archive January 19 2013

19 Jan 2013 13:01:05
Reports in the italian media that inter have rejected an 8 m pound offer from liverpool for coutinho. I seriously doubt we can beat l'pool to another player if they are indeed in for coutinho now, despite pochettino's connection with him...

-icesaint

I think we would be able to go to the rumoured 10 million required. Liverpool can only afford 8 million so I think they will be priced out of the running. We have the better negotiation ability thanks to the new manager who has worked with him before and we have bigger funds. {Ed001's Note - what on earth makes you think Liverpool can only afford 8 million?}

Reports earlier in the window Liverpool are running to a budget of 20 million this market and 12 having already been spent on Sturridge. Even then they apparently want a Centre back so not sure if they'd be willing to go higher if they were able. {Ed001's Note - the reports are nonsense, there is no set budget.}

The reports are based on this supposed want to lower the clubs spend after Kenny's silly spending spree of 100 odd million on talent last season. While I doubt 20 million would be the actual budget I can't see Liverpool paying more than 8 million for a position they are well covered in anyway. especially having signed Sturridge for 12 million to add to the attacking options already. {Ed001's Note - maybe so, but that is nothing to do with any budget, simply the club's valuation of the player. Doesn't change the fact that the reports are utter fabrication based on more lies by journalists with nothing better to do.}

Ed do you happen to be a Liverpool fan? {Ed001's Note - yes mate. I fail to see the relevance though? I don't think Liverpool will go much higher either, I was just pointing out that there simply is not a set budget there at all. Anyone claiming there is, are either clueless or lying. There is more spending power available to the club, but they will only spend what they believe a player is worth. Exactly the same as Southampton, in that respect. Which is why the Hooper deal didn't happen in the summer, Southampton had the money to match the asking price, but they simply did not value him highly enough to cough up that amount.}

I feel I must apologise to you Ed for my misinformation earlier. I realise my source was Sky who aren't exactly the total authority on all things football. Better than the Mail or the Sun but still I was probably quite wrong on the budgeting. Although I still stand by the fact he's probably not worth more than 8 million to Liverpool who are well covered in attack. Good luck to Liverpool trying to get into Europe this year, was very impressed by the game against Norwich today. Classy performance. {Ed001's Note - I do agree with you, I think the player has more value to Southampton right now. Ugh @ Sly, they are a pain in the rectum as far as Liverpool are concerned, make up so much stuff to stir up betting markets etc. I miss the days when SSN was just a great resource to keep up with football news.}

Sorry Ed., don't agree with you. Liverpool certainly not willing to up the money on Ince and giving a "trial" to Forren.
Don't believe there is a restricted budget but do believe Rodgers is under a great deal of constraint after previous reckless spending.

Maybe I am becoming an old cynic, but I have a feeling there could be a major signing announced by Saints on Monday linked with the new manager and an attempt by NC to get the supporters back. This could well be Coutinho.

Saints Martin {Ed001's Note - why would Liverpool want to pay more for Ince? That is nothing to do with not being able to afford it, simply that he is not valued that highly when there are so many youth players to break through in the next couple of years. It must be remembered that Ince had struggled to hold down a reserve place at Liverpool before he left. The likes of Sterling were already pushing him out, so why buy him back at an inflated price when Sterling is likely to push him out again in a year or two's time? That's not to mention the even better Ibe, who will no doubt be pushing for the first team next season.}

So, Ed., why have Liverpool been trying to 'phone the Blackpool chairman? Surely not after the rock?
Mind you, I note your comment about how Ince "struggled" at Liverpool. In my mind, that is why the lad will not sign-he will not forget that assessment and if he does, his Dad will not.

Saint Martin {Ed001's Note - amazing how papers claim that when neither Oyston nor Liverpool have spoken to them! Liverpool tried to get a deal done, as did a couple of other clubs, but Appleton leaving has ended the chances of a deal being done just yet. He left to get first team football, he knows he needed it, as did his dad, that is also the only thing he is bothered about getting when he moves. His dad is telling him the exact same thing. What happened previously is irrelevant, the management team is different and Ince is a far better player than he was while with Liverpool. You have to say that his dad and himself made the right decision, he needed to leave for his career's sake and it has done wonders for him.}

Sorry Ed001, but if Liverpool value Sturridge at £12million then Coutinho is worth considerably more.

It's not a matter of value, it's that Liverpool will be out-priced by Southampton. Don't be bitter about it mate. {Ed001's Note - how is it bitter? Why would Coutinho be worth more to Liverpool than Sturridge, who was first choice signing? Sorry, it is clearly not me who is bitter I am afraid. It was this arrogance from Southampton fans that made the club a lot of enemies amongst other fans in the summer.}

Sorry ed but its clear to see some of these guys are trolling or plastic fans. Sturridge is worth more than coutinho, coutinho has been a flop for the past 2 1/2 years bar his espanyol loan {Ed001's Note - he is still a kid though, Coutinho has a lot of potential.}

Come on Ed., I know you have your views but it is not arrogant for a Saints supporter to say we may value a player at a price above what Liverpool want to pay, and we might therefore sign him and Liverpool might not. Exactly the situation with Forren, so it is not without some previous.
Almost impossible what a new manager will have in mind for Saints, but he will know more about Coutinho than Rodgers and I see it could be a possibility.

Just because Liverpool have a long history it is not arrogant for other sides to challenge their position. And in my humble opinion, Ince will not sign for Liverpool in January.

Saint Martin {Ed001's Note - it is arrogant to talk of out pricing other clubs, when it is simply not the situation, as it wasn't with Forren. I don't know where you got that from, he hadn't received an offer for any more than a trial at Liverpool. Southampton offered him a permanent deal, totally different thing. As for Ince, I have said the same thing many times, I don't think Liverpool will get him, other clubs need him more than Liverpool do. That is not Swansea, for instance, out pricing Liverpool, it is simply them being willing to spend more on him.}

Sturridge was, in my opinion, one of the best signings Liverpool have made in a long time. A lot cheaper than some too! I mean he is perfect to boost the attacking line and has real presence for them.
In the case of Coutinho, we don't even know how genuine the interest from Southampton is. I think personally we'd be willing to go to a higher price than Liverpool. I mean his worth to them won't be anything like as high as it would be to us. Our new manager clearly has a style of play which suits him as was shown by his time with Espanyol and they have good personal connections.
I think Liverpool will pass on Ince as they have better in their line up already. Ince will go to another team if he moves at all. As for us we should look for the best around within the budget we're set. I think Coutinho would be excellent for us.

Transfer rumours have been big business since club owners realised that being linked with a big player, like Coutinho, generates as much excitement among fans as a hard earned 3 points.

Ed, you're right that sometimes us Saints fans, like any other fans, get a bit carried away with the transfer window excitement, and a couple of our 'fans' get kicks out of putting down other clubs and talking up our own spending power. But please don't tarnish us all with the same brush. {Ed001's Note - I don't tarnish you all, don't worry. It is the same on every site, you only have to look at all the Liverpool fans convinced Sneijder is about to sign! Fans are just desperate for their club to buy the best and most have too much bias to look at things objectively.}

Are we still in for ince? it seems like the perfect signing for both if he wants playing time.

-icesaint

Hi Ed, I don't want to buy into the debate about the above players, and I agree with your assessment as to why Liverpool won't sign those players, as well as why Saints will be willing to bid higher.

Just a quick note on 'spending power' though - I'm pretty sure that Saints have either the third or fourth wealthiest backers in the EPL in the Liebherr Group. Whether that translates to spending power in the EPL is another question I suppose.

Aussie Saint {Ed001's Note - I am sure they have plenty of spending power to establish themselves in the EPL, that is not an issue, then build from there. I would be very surprised if they skimped on buying players right now, Ramirez was just a show of intent, in my opinion. To show they will spend money on the right players. There is a difference between that and out pricing other clubs though, for starters the player has the main say in where they end up these days. It is very difficult these days to outbid another club, it is more about offering better wages, or guaranteed first team football so the player chooses one club over another.}

That's a good point Ed, and I think the main stumbling block for Saints will always be wage demands. From my understanding, Ramirez is the highest paid Saint on roughly £40,000 per week. That's obviously the benefit of buying young players as well, rather than mid-twenties established players.

Personally I don't think Coutinho would be a good signing. He's one-footed. What we need is someone who can play across that front third, in place of either Lallana, Ramirez or Puncheon. There is very little point in buying someone who will be competing directly with either Lallana or Ramirez. I know plenty will disagree with me on this, but I think some people are just being seduced by the prospect of a Brazilian from Milan rather than the practicality of it. In reality, what we need on top of a 'generalist' attacking midfielder is another CB/CDM.

Aussie Saint {Ed001's Note - to be honest, from what I have seen of Southampton, you don't look like you needed anything but another centre back to stay up. It is just looking for those quality players that put you up to the next level, such as Ramirez. I am with you on Coutinho, he looked good when he burst onto the scene, but he seems to have lost his way a little. Sometimes those players fall by the wayside, it all comes too easily to them and they just don't learn the work ethic needed to keep improving.}

Ed, just to make a point about Ince being pushed out as a youngster and then bought back at inflated cost, what about Fabregas for example. It happens. Many examples of players being released then turning into stars. To name a few saints youth rejected - Kevin Philips, Dennis Wise and Graeme Le Saux all played for England. I'm sure most top players have faced rejection.