Another busy transfer window has closed and Southampton rarely grabbed the headlines with the players they brought in but made solid additions nonetheless.
What they needed
With several key players departing the club the Saints needed a variety of players to strengthen their squad going into 2016-17. Striker Graziano Pellè, midfielder Victor Wanyama and winger Sadio Mané were all regular XI players who left the club over the summer.
Manager Claude Puel certainly needed to add quality replacements, not only to stamp his authority on the club but to prepare for the challenge of Europa League football.
What they got
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg: The Bayern Munich product is not a like-for-like replacement for Wanyama. At 21, he is a prodigious talent who will look to mould himself into a formidable defensive midfielder.
Sofiane Boufal: The 22-year-old has electrifying pace and tricky in his skill set, plus he offers versatility on either wing or as a No. 10 after joining from Lille.
Alex McCarthy: Brought in from Crystal Palace as a backup between the sticks to first-choice Fraser Forster.
Nathan Redmond: An exciting young winger, who showed last season for Norwich City he has everything in his disposal to become a top class attacker if he can work on his end product.
Jérémy Pied: Looks set for an extended stay on the sidelines caused by a knee injury, however the Frenchman from Nice offers depth in the fullback positions.
Stuart Taylor: The 35-year-old free agent is unlikely to make any appearances bar injuries to Forster and McCarthy
Money spent
The Saints spent a similar amount in this window as the previous two summer transfer periods, which included the £16 million deal for Boufal – a club transfer fee record.
With cash to spend from the £57 million earned from the combined sales of Pellè, Mané and Wanyama, Southampton spent £10 million to secure Redmond’s services and an additional £12 million for Højbjerg.
The deal for McCarthy was reported as around £4 million and both Taylor and Pied joined on free transfers. All in all, it was typically tidy and fiscal business from Southampton.
Overview
The Saints did not attract any big-name replacements for their outgoing players, and in truth did not integrate like-for-like players. However, what Puel has done is compliment the relatively talented squad with some impressive youngsters. There’s a number of different variations the Saints can play this season and it’s this tactical flexibility which should suit them well for what will likely be a congested fixture list, especially if they gain a route through to the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Grade: B
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