Below is a list of players we have been excited about previously buying who in the end went elsewhere. My list criteria is rumours with large number of posts on here in last few premier seasons in order to rule out the Adam le Fondres et al. With the benefit of hindsight I have marked them as to whether we were unlucky to miss out or not. Juan Iturbe He looked exciting and I was a bit irked when he went Muff. However, didn't deliver and has multiple loans since the latest in Mexico. Lucky escape. Kieran Gibbs Too early to judge if he'd have been a hit. Perotti Doing well at Roma. One that got away. Britt Asombalonga Doing alright but not enough to feel gutted we missed out. Boufal Started playing for Soton and flashes of brilliance but not enough to be gutted at this stage. Stambouli Went to PSG and then Schlake, probably would have been good for us. Doumbia Lucky escape. Berahino Lucky escape judging by stoke experience Gradel Not good enough Lemina Not starting for Soton means he's not currently tearing up any foilage. Still early. Franco Vazquez This was the one I was most excited about by his you tube clip. Seems to be playing for Seville but I don't know if he's as world class as he looked. I'd still want him on the basis of his selectively biased clip. Santon Meh Pablo Sarabia Another Sevilliasta. Not sure if he's any good but judging by transfer market site his value has shot up. David Faupala Seems to be a free agent with value of 68k on web. Lansbury Not good enough. Out of all of those Perotti is the only one I'm proper gutted regarding. I was going to make lots of interesting conclusions and comparisons to purchases like Gray and Richarlison but I'm pretty knackered after my longest post ever.
Considering we got Chalobah instead, now, I am perfectly happy having not got Lemina. But I believe that Southampton fans are pretty happy with him, he certainly looks talented every time I see him play for them; I think his lack of time is as much about his creative central role and the defensive, cautious approach from Pellegrino as anything else. I'd still be happy was he here.
Left back is still a huge problem for us with Holebas and Zeegelaar, Gibbs for sure would have been an upgrade on those. Lemina looks a similar level player to Cleverley, maybe a bit better - behind Doucoure and Chalobah, but ahead of other players we've had to use lately, in particular Watson. He would have been useful, but overpriced for what Southampton paid, and Chalobah was a better buy, injury aside. Even though we were interested in Perotti it always looked a slim chance we would have got him.
Gabbiadini I thought we were heavily linked with but went to Southampton. I was gutted we didn’t get him last season but he’s having a bit of Andre Gray this season
You forgot; Pickford Promising start for Everton and with hindsight would have been a solid #2 behind Gomes.
We were linked with him in the rumour columns yeah. But Filippo Giraldi was quoted in the Italian media as saying we weren't interested in him.
Weren't we linked with Fekir in the summer too? Had a fantastic start to the season and now linked to Liverpool and Arsenal
Tore Andre Flo, Petchey wouldn't pay about £60k for him a year before he went to Chelsea. Tommy Smith needs to go on the list, highly unlikely he'll come back to the Vic now.
What? I don’t believe you The Tommy Smith part I mean. I would be surprised if Petchey paid for tea bags
Lemina is great. Better than Capoue or Watson that's for sure. Doccoure, Chalobah & Lemina middle is worth creaming over.
Please let us sign him, any man with a name like that has to provide endless forum enjoyment and terrace chants, frankly footballing ability should not be a consideration when an opportunity like this presents itself. One of the best since that fella Shiite played for Celtic.
Gabbiadini going to Bologna! WTF how the hell can a shower of terds like that be bringing in a player from the upper echelons of the game while we are signing dogshit like gray. The pozzos can suck my throbber. https://www.football-italia.net/115650/bologna-gabbiadini
I'm sure it's been mentioned in previous correspondence but Manolo isn't even, to quote the old cricket sledge, the best player in his family. Big Sis, Melania, played 107 times for the Azzurri, scoring 44 & recently retired whilst captain. She is a proficient tattooist, a readymade icebreaker with Gray. Fingers crossed that the new scout from QPR doesn't Horlicks this one up & bring in Marco Gabbiadini.
Cedric Bakambu, linked with us a year or so ago, is on his way to the Chinese Super League for a tidy £65m.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42724457
Nebil Fekir that we were strongly linked with over the summer...has 18 goals in 25 games for Lyon this season