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

Transfer news
I love this threat. Crowds are mad high and the town is finally engaging with the club. People aren't going to stop coming because the internal transfer process is too bureaucratic
Everyone’s fandom is different.

Some just want a win don’t care how; some just want to see entertaining football (and for some that means passing, for others crunching tackles or attacking football); some it’s all about the atmosphere at the game, for others it’s the day out to which football is tagged on; some it’s all about the size of the crowds as then they feel they are part of something big; some only care about the now, others just dream of the future; some are in it for something to celebrate in order to feel better about themselves, others want something to moan about in order to feel better about themselves; some like to see players develop whilst others just want continually change.

In amongst all this is a subset of fans for whom football is all about the transfers. They won’t feel engaged when there isn’t a constant swirl of transfer activity, so yes this will affect whether some people will come. We definitely seem to see more positivity on here when there are lots of transfer rumours. It doesn’t seem that far fetched to suggest positivity likely feeds into more ticket sales.
 
I believe the narrative last year around missing out on key players due to Ron and the clubs status at the time has given fans the idea that with all that behind us we will be very quick and active in the markets.

I still think it maybe a frustrating period and we are in danger of losing more quality than we recruit, we must have a good pre season regardless of whop we do or dont sign , but please please lets go for some pace on both wings
 
Some interesting comments from Eddie Howe about recruitment on the Beeb today, which are highly topical given Cashmangate:

'Speed is key' - Howe offers stark warning​

Not only will fans expect new arrivals this summer, manager Eddie Howe will too. In his final news conference of the season on 25 May, he was explicit in his demands for quick movement in the market, while also confirming the club is not fearing PSR incursions.

Last summer, Newcastle signed young striker William Osula but failed in a public chase of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. Lloyd Kelly arrived on a free transfer from Bournemouth but the defender left for Juventus after half a season.

Only the permanent signing of Lewis Hall could be deemed a first-team success, but he had already spent a year on loan at the club. The need for better results is clear.

"Speed is key and I have reiterated that many times internally," Howe said.

"We have to be dynamic, we have to be ready to conclude things quickly because good players don't hang around for long. That's always been my thought and my message on recruitment."
 
I believe the narrative last year around missing out on key players due to Ron and the clubs status at the time has given fans the idea that with all that behind us we will be very quick and active in the markets.

I still think it maybe a frustrating period and we are in danger of losing more quality than we recruit, we must have a good pre season regardless of whop we do or dont sign , but please please lets go for some pace on both wings
The last couple years we’ve been told that we would have signed Dallas, then Pearce. Both were waiting to sign if only they could.

Finally we’re able to sign players without external limitation and we’ve let the only standout target we’re aware of (on paper) slip through.

Spasov has the potential to become a cult hero, but likely is more of a 3rd/4th choice striker, at least for the first half of the season.

I think with all the stories (which I’ve no reason to doubt) about top tier (for this level) players being ready to sign, it’s been a bit underwhelming now reality is hitting home.

I’m sure we’ll sign some decent players, improve a little and likely finish in the playoffs, but it’s not quite fitting the narrative that as soon as umbongo was out the way with new ownership who want to attack the league, that we’d maybe see a step up in recruitment.

Currently it seems more of the same. Spasov certainly isn’t more impressive on paper than Cardwell, for example. Hopefully he becomes our new Dalby.
 
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I’ve noticed a recurring comment on here that we don't have the money the idea that COSU simply hasn’t got the cash to back Kev in the market.
Is in my view a misrepresentation of how our ownership group actually works and it risks under‑selling the commitment that sits behind the Club.
COSU isn’t one deep‑pocketed sugar‑daddy; it’s a consortium. Its members all have meaningful personal wealth, immediately none are on the same tier as the Premier League’s resident billionaires. The key point is that collectively they’ve agreed to pool their clout in a way that keeps the Club sustainable, starting with a clear five‑year plan that was laid out when they took the reins.
So when the recruitment pot looks modest, it’s not because the cupboard is bare. It’s because COSU have chosen a disciplined, data‑led spend model rather than a chequebook frenzy. Each member underwrites their own stake in line with a consortium‑wide budget that grows only when the underlying numbers justify it. It might feel cautious, but it’s the same principle that kept clubs like Brentford and Brighton from nosediving into administration while they climbed the leagues.
Need evidence that money is there when the cause is right? Look no further than the Wembley display fund. A single COSU member wrote a £10,000 cheque so the travelling Shrimpers could unfurl that wonderful statement banner.
No publicity, no fanfare, just a quiet show of faith that the moment mattered. That’s not the behaviour of owners who “can’t afford” to back their club.
Does that mean COSU will break the wage structure? In my opinion yes potentially.
If a target comes along whose upside dwarfs the risk – on the pitch and on the balance sheet – individual members (or a group of them) can and I believe would step up to underwrite the deal. The difference is they’ll do it strategically, not emotionally.
We all want quick fixes, but we’ve also lived through the roulette‑wheel finances of the last regime. COSU’s model isn’t as sexy as a billionaire’s blank cheque, yet it’s infinitely healthier for Southend United’s long‑term future. So the next time someone says “we’ve got no money,” I’d counter with this: we do have money – what we also have, finally, is a plan.
Superb post.
 
It might feel cautious, but it’s the same principle that kept clubs like Brentford and Brighton from nosediving into administration while they climbed the leagues.
I bet both teams are one bad season from a chain of relegations that will see them back in the third division. It wouldn’t surprise me if Southampton are there next season and it is not so long ago they were regarded as the model for sustainable stats based recruitment.
 
Everyone’s fandom is different.

Some just want a win don’t care how; some just want to see entertaining football (and for some that means passing, for others crunching tackles or attacking football); some it’s all about the atmosphere at the game, for others it’s the day out to which football is tagged on; some it’s all about the size of the crowds as then they feel they are part of something big; some only care about the now, others just dream of the future; some are in it for something to celebrate in order to feel better about themselves, others want something to moan about in order to feel better about themselves; some like to see players develop whilst others just want continually change.

In amongst all this is a subset of fans for whom football is all about the transfers. They won’t feel engaged when there isn’t a constant swirl of transfer activity, so yes this will affect whether some people will come. We definitely seem to see more positivity on here when there are lots of transfer rumours. It doesn’t seem that far fetched to suggest positivity likely feeds into more ticket sales.
And what about you YB, what do you like?
 

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