After losing key players Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Callum Chambers, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert over the summer, Southampton fans have been hoping for plenty of activity this transfer window. Reinvesting some of the £80m stored in the club from player sales has been important this summer. The Saints did manage to keep hold of Schneiderlin, Fonte and Jay Rodriguez however, and with the new players brought in, Southampton will look to build on last seasons success.
Dusan Tadic- £10,900,000
A brilliant signing in my eyes, this creative midfielder will score goals himself and create chances for others. He made an immediate impact for Southampton this season, after linking up well with Nathaniel Clyne through an outrageous assist to produce the only away goal at Anfield. Tadic can operate in tight space or spread the play with a long pass. Also he isn’t just effective in open play, as shown against West Ham this weekend, he has made Southampton a serious threat from set pieces. Having developed his skills in the Eredivisie, Dusan Tadic brings goals, creativity and composure into Ronald Koeman’s side.
Grade: A
Graziano Pelle-£9,000,000
The striker who scored 50 goals in 57 games for Feyenoord got off the mark last weekend. After scoring one and having another incorrectly offside, the Italian looked determined to make his mark on the Premier League. The 6’3” physical target man appears to be the perfect replacement for Lambert, contributing power and movement in the attacking third.
Grade: A
Ryan Bertrand-Loan
A decent move for both the player and the club. This allows Bertrand the chance to establish himself as a first-team regular in a premier league club and showcase his ability for next season’s transfer window. He offers both pace and flexibility down the left hand side, meaning that he will prove to be a useful player for Ronald Koeman this season.
Grade: C
Sadio Mane-£11,800,000
The winger with an unbelievable goalscoring record! Registering almost a goal every other game for Red Bull Salzburg, it appears Ronald Koeman has found himself a deadline day bargain. Agile, fast and powerful with an eye for goal, the Senegal international is a defender’s nightmare. With tricky feet and magnificent ball control, he has the confidence to be direct and run at defenders. Considering the amount of goals he produces from wide areas, this may be the man to replace Adam Lallana. A joy to watch, he will score goals from inside or outside the area, and you never quite know what he’s going to do next.
Grade: A
Toby Alderweireld-Loan
A player who’s always struggled to break into the first team at a club but has always shown positive signs when on the pitch. The Belgium international is a versatile defender who prefers the full-back role, therefore allowing him to make the most of his excellent distribution by playing long switch balls to the opposite wing in order to open up the pitch. Solid at the back and strong in the air, Toby Alderweireld is definitely going to be a threat when latching onto Tadic’s indirect set pieces. A loan deal with a view to a permanent move, this means that although he has made few appearances over his professional career, this is a risk-free move as there are no large funds that have to be paid up front. Another impressive piece of business from The Saints.
Grade: B
To conclude, I believe that Ronald Koeman has been excellent this transfer window. He has managed to bring in dangerous flair players at relatively cheap prices. And yes, although many top class home-grown talent has left St. Mary’s this summer, huge profits have been made. Rational spending combined with massive monetary income has meant that this has been, in my eyes, an extremely successful transfer window for Southampton.
Overall Grade: A