Transfer News, Gossip & Speculation Transfer Thread - Summer 2025 Edition.

[TheSouthendUnitedRunner]

One would assume the Spasov deal is done with the Slough fixture part of the deal.

Check my post.

The Slough fixture is part of the Parillon deal, nothing to do with Spasov…

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Check my post.

The Slough fixture is part of the Parillon deal, nothing to do with Spasov…

So Spasov isn't getting announced on Friday then?

Can't blame a guy for trying

 

[BEERMONSTER]

Well I do hope we have a whiteboard with plenty of names. Just starting to feel players we have been potentially interested in are now becoming out of reach.
Do think we will make some signings, but some may not be the upgrades we need.
But I’ve accepted that whoever we sign will be within our strict budget guidelines. Then again we are still standing and will have another season to look forward to.

I think the key word here is 'potentially' The recruitment process will start with players being identified we would like to bring in and there will be targets that the management team will feel 'potentially' are beyond our reach but nothing ventured nothing gained! There will also be players that there will be more confidence in securing, not necessarily a weaker player but who's profile might not be as out there as some others. I have no doubts we have multiple targets in the position's we want to strengthen all identified by base levels of current abilities and future development and not forgetting the potential for financial return in transfer profit.

 

[sufc4life21]

Yeah, I thought they had light pockets when they pumped a few million into the club when they didn't even own it. Christ get a grip. Our season finished a little over two weeks ago and you've already written 2025/26 off because we missed out on one target that was never a realistic signing and another who had a preference of playing in the EFL with his home-town team.

I haven't written off our chances having good season, a play off spot is achievable but thats such lottery which we shouldn't be pinning our hopes on for promotion. If we want to get out this league we need to be aiming to win it and that requires the owners to show more ambition in the transfer market..... to this day the owners haven't exactly shown much ambition when it comes to the transfer market. Players from the lower leagues who are not at professional standard level with few loans here and there isn't giving me the indication that we are serious about getting out this league. It's still early days so plenty of time but if we want to get out this league we need to act quickly to secure prime targets. We really don't want be heading into the start of the season with only signing targets who are 4th or 5th choices and couple of short term loans. Yes my standards are high but I want to get out of this league.

 

[Supershrimper]

So Spasov isn't getting announced on Friday then?

Can't blame a guy for trying

Pepple is, thus the Luton fixture.

Its being held at ours as we have greater capacity and away fans don't have to enter via someones house

 

[GDM]

I haven't written off our chances having good season, a play off spot is achievable but thats such lottery which we shouldn't be pinning our hopes on for promotion. If we want to get out this league we need to be aiming to win it and that requires the owners to show more ambition in the transfer market..... to this day the owners haven't exactly shown much ambition when it comes to the transfer market. Players from the lower leagues who are not at professional standard level with few loans here and there isn't giving me the indication that we are serious about getting out this league. It's still early days so plenty of time but if we want to get out this league we need to act quickly to secure prime targets. We really don't want be heading into the start of the season with only signing targets who are 4th or 5th choices and couple of short term loans. Yes my standards are high but I want to get out of this league.

We haven't got the money to win this league - consequently we will never win this league. Our only chance out of this league is via the play offs.
1st is living in a fantasy world
2nd or 3rd is overachieving
4th or 5th will be realistic
6th or 7th slightly disappointing
Outside the play offs will be a failure

These are the facts, and they are indisputable...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

We shouldn’t entirely disregard that he has done nothing above NLS level. Players are generally at the level they are for good reason. His data may be good but his attitude off, all sorts of reasons including I guess bad luck.

Now he’s jumping from NLS to L2. A big jump. Crawley may have the attitude it’s a risk with taking.

I watched the clips from the Slough vs Chelmsford City game the other day- the standard was appalling- it was like watching a pin ball machine as players struggled with the basic art of controlling a football.

Finding someone at NLS/NLN level who will come in and improve what we have is really tough. We can point to Pearce and our own Parillon perhaps. But there are many many more misses than hits even if it’s cheaper.

We are at the point where in recruiting 4-5 that must improve us the room for misses is limited. And if they are moving from part time NLS/NLN they need a full pre-season

Players signed under Maher from NLS/N

Kensdale (Concord) - hit
Husin (Dartford) - hit
Cardwell (Chorley) - hit
Powell (Kettering) - pass
Gus (Hemel) - hit
Lomas (Brackley) - fail (due to injury as thought he looked the part)
Morton (Weston-super-Mare) - hit
Waldron (Tamworth) - fail
Crowther (Kings Lynn) - fail (so far)
Parillon (Slough) - hit

6 hits, 1 pass, 3 fails. That’s a 60% hit rate, 30% failure rate

Players signed from L1 or L2

Leon Davies (Cambridge) - fail
Cosgrave (Wimbledon) - fail
Dackers (Salford) - pass
Kanu (Charlton) - hit
Taylor Foran (Bromley) - fail
Walker (Burton) - fail, so far
Tom Hopper (Col Ewe) - pass
Ben Goodliffe (Col Ewe) - pass
Jeacock (Lincoln) - fail
Moncur (Orient) - fail
Bonne (Gillingham) - pass
Harness (Franchise FC) - pass

That’s an 8% hit rate, 50% failure rate

Signings from NLS/N have been better & safer than signing players from L1/L2.

 

[Magnum PI]

Cashman couldn't have signed for Crawley if we'd agreed the deal a month ago when it was first on table. I posted a cryptic cash comment on here as thought it was close but we dithered for that long! This isn't about not trusting management this is about management being trusted by the board which is what is slowing everything down and making it harder for Kev, JS and team and also making Southend a far less attractive option for agents with good players.

An agent will say I can get you in to a club who are going places but its going to take a while. In the meantime loads of clubs are pitching good money and preying on the indecision. Young footballers want to be wanted. Crawley came late to the table and were an absolute no brainer in the end but that definitely was not always the case.

Hopeful we can get the right balance between DD and jobsworthyness... And move forward.

 

[SUFCGoals]

Numerous ITK have confirmed that is what has happened. We dragged our feet and missed out.

I don't think doing our DD to make sure he fits the squad from a personal/personality perspective is that.

Our squad has a strong bond and the last thing want is someone to come in and disrupt.

I'd rather we take our time and make sure the player is right in aspects rather than just looking at his numbers...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I don't think doing our DD to make sure he fits the squad from a personal/personality perspective is that.

Our squad has a strong bond and the last thing want is someone to come in and disrupt.

I'd rather we take our time and make sure the player is right in aspects rather than just looking at his numbers...

I don’t think there’s been any suggestion that the personality fit was what was holding this up. By all accounts those who’d be doing that wanted him and the delay was elsewhere.

 

[sufc4life21]

We haven't got the money to win this league - consequently we will never win this league. Our only chance out of this league is via the play offs.
1st is living in a fantasy world
2nd or 3rd is overachieving
4th or 5th will be realistic
6th or 7th slightly disappointing
Outside the play offs will be a failure

These are the facts, and they are indisputable...

You can never say we will never win this league, the future is unpredictable. We haven't got owners which have heavy pockets unfortunately hence the dithering around for prime targets.

 

[RHB]

I wish I knew a lot more about the true inner workings of Southend Utd and transfers. In fact, I don't think I really know anything about it. So what to do? Listen to rumours? maybe; imagine stuff? maybe; or just try a bit of patience? nah, sod that. Last season I got sooo depressed that we couldn't sign anyone, this season I'm determined to get even more depressed with a lack of ultra early signings, after all, where did we end up last season with our squad? well, I certainly don't want any more disappointments like that thank you very much. Sort it out Maher!

 

[kentblues]

Players signed under Maher from NLS/N

Kensdale (Concord) - hit
Husin (Dartford) - hit
Cardwell (Chorley) - hit
Powell (Kettering) - pass
Gus (Hemel) - hit
Lomas (Brackley) - fail (due to injury as thought he looked the part)
Morton (Weston-super-Mare) - hit
Waldron (Tamworth) - fail
Crowther (Kings Lynn) - fail (so far)
Parillon (Slough) - hit

6 hits, 1 pass, 3 fails. That’s a 60% hit rate, 30% failure rate

Players signed from L1 or L2

Leon Davies (Cambridge) - fail
Cosgrave (Wimbledon) - fail
Dackers (Salford) - pass
Kanu (Charlton) - hit
Taylor Foran (Bromley) - fail
Walker (Burton) - fail, so far
Tom Hopper (Col Ewe) - pass
Ben Goodliffe (Col Ewe) - pass
Jeacock (Lincoln) - fail
Moncur (Orient) - fail
Bonne (Gillingham) - pass
Harness (Franchise FC) - pass

That’s an 8% hit rate, 50% failure rate

Signings from NLS/N have been better & safer than signing players from L1/L2.

Interesting. I guess it also depends where you are trying to get to. 60% from the NLS/NLN have been good enough for NL. How many have attracted an offer from the EFL? I believe not a single one? In part our problem is we have a rock solid team of NL players that can get us 4th - 7th as the team is also more than the sum of its parts.

The question isn’t how we continue to get players that can step up to the NL but are also players who will take us a step further and who EFL clubs would want because they are at that level…

Re the L1/L2 most are loanees which has indeed proved very hit and miss. Not really sure L1/L2 is a very good source in NL unless you are very careful and want to spend £££. Unless it’s a youngster being released at a higher level perhaps.

Probably investing in players currently in the NL who we believe can step up?

 

[TrevorFitzpatrickHattrick]

I haven't written off our chances having good season, a play off spot is achievable but thats such lottery which we shouldn't be pinning our hopes on for promotion. If we want to get out this league we need to be aiming to win it and that requires the owners to show more ambition in the transfer market..... to this day the owners haven't exactly shown much ambition when it comes to the transfer market. Players from the lower leagues who are not at professional standard level with few loans here and there isn't giving me the indication that we are serious about getting out this league. It's still early days so plenty of time but if we want to get out this league we need to act quickly to secure prime targets. We really don't want be heading into the start of the season with only signing targets who are 4th or 5th choices and couple of short term loans. Yes my standards are high but I want to get out of this league.

I get your desperation to get back out of the NL, I really do, we all feel the same. However, COSU have been in situ for less than a year and inherited even more toxic debt than thorough DD could even flag. Saying that they lack ambition in the transfer market is unjustified and ill-informed. Whilst we don't know what the wage/transfer budget is and where it would rank versus our competitors next season, I'd wager that it's competitive. We missed out on Cashman because of inefficiencies in the deal-making process that I hope and expect will be a learning experience going forward. When all is said and done, we'll only truly know how effective our pre-season business has been when we're 10-15 games into next season and look at the table.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Interesting. I guess it also depends where you are trying to get to. 60% from the NLS/NLN have been good enough for NL. How many have attracted an offer from the EFL? I believe not a single one? In part our problem is we have a rock solid team of NL players that can get us 4th - 7th as the team is also more than the sum of its parts.

The question isn’t how we continue to get players that can step up to the NL but are also players who will take us a step further and who EFL clubs would want because they are at that level…

Re the L1/L2 most are loanees which has indeed proved very hit and miss. Not really sure L1/L2 is a very good source in NL unless you are very careful and want to spend £££. Unless it’s a youngster being released at a higher level perhaps.

Probably investing in players currently in the NL who we believe can step up?

That's a little unfair. Kensdale has gone to Barnet, he was on that trajectory of going to the FL when playing for us. Gus is being linked to league 2 clubs and may very well be there next season. Cardwell is on league 2 wages and may very well have gone to league 2 if any other club was outlandish enough to pay those ridiculous wages FGR's offered.

We then have players who are still very young. Morton still has time to step up and has massively improved this season. Leon only signed a few months ago and is showing great potential too.

You're never going to get a complete 100% hit rate, especially when the club was in such disarray. To get any hits with how awful our club was is a miracle! However, over the coming years, when the club starts to get that positive reputation back, we will sign even more hits I'm sure.

 

[Blues ‘n’ twos]

If I were a COSU member reading some of the comments on this thread I would seriously be doubting my future!
Jeez we are a tough bunch!
We are 2 weeks out of the season, staff are away on holiday, and we have already written off the coming season.
#stillgratefulihaveaclub

 

[Callum]

The transfers will fly through can still seeing us getting top 3 hopefully our strikers get there lucky boots on

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Interesting. I guess it also depends where you are trying to get to. 60% from the NLS/NLN have been good enough for NL. How many have attracted an offer from the EFL? I believe not a single one? In part our problem is we have a rock solid team of NL players that can get us 4th - 7th as the team is also more than the sum of its parts.

The question isn’t how we continue to get players that can step up to the NL but are also players who will take us a step further and who EFL clubs would want because they are at that level…

Re the L1/L2 most are loanees which has indeed proved very hit and miss. Not really sure L1/L2 is a very good source in NL unless you are very careful and want to spend £££. Unless it’s a youngster being released at a higher level perhaps.

Probably investing in players currently in the NL who we believe can step up?

NL
Taylor (Barnet) - hit
Fonguck (Barnet) - pass?
Miley (Eastleigh) - hit
Mooney (Altrincham) - fail
Kendall (Woking) - pass
Hayes (Barnet) - pass

33% hit rate, 16% failure rate so maybe a little safer but if we want to go on your criteria the three players who attracted interest from higher up were Gus, Kensdale and Cardwell who were all from NLS/N. We can then maybe sprinkle in some loans from top 6 L1/Championship clubs (Lopata, Neal and Brunt from Sheff Utd/Pepple from Luton and Kanu from Charlton) for some extra quality but with the exception of Harrison Neal (who signed in January) they were all recalled at inconvenient times.

So best young talent from NLS/N, some steady players from NL topped up with some loanees after January from top 6 L1/Championship after Xmas?

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

If I were a COSU member reading some of the comments on this thread I would seriously be doubting my future!
Jeez we are a tough bunch!
We are 2 weeks out of the season, staff are away on holiday, and we have already written off the coming season.
#stillgratefulihaveaclub

Well it was Justin who said we were going for promotion (ok maybe he was ****ed, who knows!).

People saying 1st is unachievable/fantasy land .. well it isn't .. anyone can win the league with consistent results over 46 games and the required quality. Quality doesn't have to equal big bucks. Maher is a master at getting team spirit going and getting players running through walls. We've got no points deduction and no embargo. We've got amazing passionate fans. I'm with Mr Rees - let's go for it. If we fail we fail but let's go for 1st place. None of this 'happy with 4th' malarkey.

 

[kentblues]

That's a little unfair. Kensdale has gone to Barnet, he was on that trajectory of going to the FL when playing for us. Gus is being linked to league 2 clubs and may very well be there next season. Cardwell is on league 2 wages and may very well have gone to league 2 if any other club was outlandish enough to pay those ridiculous wages FGR's offered.

We then have players who are still very young. Morton still has time to step up and has massively improved this season. Leon only signed a few months ago and is showing great potential too.

You're never going to get a complete 100% hit rate, especially when the club was in such disarray. To get any hits with how awful our club was is a miracle! However, over the coming years, when the club starts to get that positive reputation back, we will sign even more hits I'm sure.

Well the reality is no one has gone to the EFL.

Cardwell is a good non league striker all be it firing blanks for a season at FGR will have dented his standing. It hasn’t worked for him at EFL level. FGR was a good move financially and a bad move professionally- so far at least.

Gus may- we will see. My point stands that we have maybe one player who an EFL club might at this moment want sign. This is indicative of where we are at now.

So to me this just reinforces what many are saying- we need 4-5 of that calibre (or soon to be) through the door.