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

Barry.C · Tuesday at 11:09 AM

With our dreadful history of embargoes and almost non existence we suffered years of torment on the recruitment front. Unsurprising with COSU in the driving seat and free of all that misery ( apart from about being £2m in debt, and a ground falling to bits), naturally Zoners expectations have sky rocketed

The culture change is a huge one and takes time, probably two or 3 years in many respects, and we were slug like often in the recruitment market many a time before . That Culture does need to change.

Its 6 weeks since the season ended and 7 weeks until it all starts again,. not much breathing space

I think We need to bring in 6 to be competitive and of higher quality and not too late so that all those pre season and team building things can happen. The refreshment and improvement is vital as it would be crazy to expect those same current players to muster yet more beyond the crazy efforts they have mustered for the past 2 years, .even though the misery of that final defeat may inspire a bit more determination in some, its hard to repeat and some are actually getting older.

Hopefully as hinted at, this next 3 days could be the start of upping our prospects

Maldon Blues · Tuesday at 11:11 AM

danbowen said:
The Cashman one is the tough one to take as from everything we have been told the club ****ed up. The lad who went to Bolton was never coming to us realistically.

This sort of thing will also happen with hundreds of transfers up-and-down the country at all clubs every season and always will've done.

Unfortunately there's a desire now for many people to be privvy to everything that's happening which results in bits being leaked out that would not have been before.

Everyone seems to think losing out to Danny Cashman in a manner than will've happened so many times previously and will again, is going to define us? I know nothing about him as a player!

I have no doubt we have and will sign a player who another club will've been hopeful of completing a deal for. It's how football works, it's how agents work. And of course he's been offered EFL football and at a local club. Sadly it remains the case we are not an EFL club.

The issue here is everyone wanting to know every in-and-out yesterday.

TheSouthendUnitedRunner · Tuesday at 11:28 AM

Barry.C said:
With our dreadful history of embargoes and almost non existence we suffered years of torment on the recruitment front. Unsurprising with COSU in the driving seat and free of all that misery ( apart from about being £2m in debt, and a ground falling to bits), naturally Zoners expectations have sky rocketed

The culture change is a huge one and takes time, probably two or 3 years in many respects, and we were slug like often in the recruitment market many a time before . That Culture does need to change.

Its 6 weeks since the season ended and 7 weeks until it all starts again,. not much breathing space

I think We need to bring in 6 to be competitive and of higher quality and not too late so that all those pre season and team building things can happen. The refreshment and improvement is vital as it would be crazy to expect those same current players to muster yet more beyond the crazy efforts they have mustered for the past 2 years, .even though the misery of that final defeat may inspire a bit more determination in some, its hard to repeat and some are actually getting older.

Hopefully as hinted at, this next 3 days could be the start of upping our prospects

For most sides in the division. Our season ended just over a fortnight ago…

It’s not an “excuse” it’s a fact. Some clubs knew months ago what division they’d be in. No threat of relegation, no hope of the playoffs. Our season was extended, and we finished the latest of all the sides in the National League.

It won’t hamper us to the same level as the embargo’s, delayed takeovers etc but it still has an impact.

Players had to delay and postpone holidays, Bonne admitted that, people behind the scenes did the same. TL is away, JS is away. We’ve had other people, like Rylee, who have been away and are back.

I’d much rather our season was extended because of the playoffs, and it nearly had a magical ending, however it does hamper preparations for next season.

Pre-season matches have been arranged, with different opponents, a tour should be taking place and we’ll be playing a football league side abroad. We have a pre-season match against a side we signed someone from as part of that deal. Transfer targets are being spoken to, a medical is booked in for one.

Work is going on. Unfortunately, in the social media era, we need to know what is going on, when it’s going on and why it didn’t happen yesterday. Transfers are complex things, even signing “free agents”. It’s not a 10 minute conversation, quick lap round a field to make sure no injuries and then get the scarf ready. They take weeks to put together. It’s not how it happens in Football Manager.

Yes, we do need to strengthen. Yes, we will strengthen. We’ve missed out on targets, as has everyone. We will miss out on some more this summer too. At least we don’t need 8/9/10 players, we just need to add a bit of extra quality which hopefully will be the difference.

Shrimper · Tuesday at 11:30 AM

SeldomSeenShrimper said:
Some of you are in for a very long season ...

We got to the playoff final and have retained practically the whole squad.

Yes improvements are tying to be had, but we have to work within our budget and squad size. And we can't afford to be dragged into contract wars with EFL clubs.

Trust the process. Anyone we do sign will be an improvement, so who cares if they are plan D or E?

No guarantee of that

Simon Templar · Tuesday at 11:38 AM

Ok so we’ve missed out on a few targets. Let’s not be too pessimistic here. In recent times we’ve brought in the likes of KAF and Leon, who would both walk into many teams in our league and would probably hold their own in the odd league two side. Also Kendall looks like he could become a quality striker at any moment, (hopefully sooner rather than later). So we do know how to find and acquire half decent players. So let’s keep the faith. Who knows, we may bring in another couple or three potential gems.

sufc4life21 · Tuesday at 11:44 AM

Unfortunately our owners not rich enough to go bring in the required quality to win this league. Nice guys but light pockets when it comes to the transfer market, thats bit of problem when we are in world of football where money brings success the majority of the time...... That's why we have seen in recent years the club's with the wealthy owners win this league! And it won't be any different next season. We are in different league where we are heavily reliant on past it john still to find some hidden gems which the data approves. Let's see what happens from now but I haven't got my hopes up for great summer transfer window.

dusterman · Tuesday at 11:48 AM

I think it’s clear that this current spell of the window is not necessarily for us without deep pockets. We’ll bring in quality, sure of that. I also don’t hate the squad we have. People haven’t bought into the never give up ethos. I have full faith we’ll find some gems. Leon came out of nowhere and so will others. Have a little faith in the people that got us to Wembley. Blimey.

SUFCGoals · Tuesday at 11:48 AM

Liam AAS said:
We've lost out on two players to EFL competition. Obviously we need players of that calibre in order to get out of this league but if you're a footballer with a limited career, can you blame them for signing for football league teams (regardless of their historic stature) ahead of Southend who could be stuck in the 5th tier for another 10 years?

SUFCGoals · Tuesday at 11:49 AM

danbowen said:
The Cashman one is the tough one to take as from everything we have been told the club ****ed up. The lad who went to Bolton was never coming to us realistically.

This just is not true

Tommy2holes · Tuesday at 11:52 AM

Season cards are selling well but obviously it doesn't help when phone and Internet keep going down.

A few really positive signings would further make a difference.

TheSouthendUnitedRunner · Tuesday at 11:56 AM

A player some people suggested for us. Highest ever transfer fee received certainly helps with their recruitment this summer.

danbowen · Tuesday at 12:03 PM

SUFCGoals said:
This just is not true

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

sufc4life21 · Tuesday at 12:09 PM

SUFCGoals said:
This just is not true

We are dithering around though. It's a sign that we aren't proposing a great deal to prime target where he ends up going elsewhere. Admittedly the player in question probably wanted EFL opportunity which you can't blame him. Unfortunately in this world of football now players won't be won over just because a club in the National League gets 7/8k week. If we are serious about getting our prime targets we need to show more ambition when it comes to negotiation with the players we want and not be left with 4th or 5th choices towards the back end of July.

meerkat54 · Tuesday at 12:11 PM

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.

bluesfansince1952 · Tuesday at 12:12 PM

TheSouthendUnitedRunner said:
It’s not always that.

Players that are released from their clubs, their contracts traditionally run until the end of June. Then their deals with us (or another club that signs them) start from the 1st July.

If a player hasn’t signed for a club by the end of July, they get one final months money from their old club. So Wood & Waldron will be paid, by us, until the end of July if they haven’t found a new club.

So, made up figures here, but say Waldron is on £1k per week, and his only interest is back in NLN for £800 a week. He may as well stay as a free agent for another month, get the more money from us, then sign on the lower deal afterwards.

That’s why, when we signed the likes of Cox, Noel Hunt, Kightly etc who were on big money elsewhere, they signed later with us to avoid the straight drop in money.

So, if you back yourself as a player, and know you can hold fire for a few extra weeks as “unemployed” then they do it. Players have all the power. I don’t blame them in this instance.

Some players like that security of a new job straight away, but that’s why you see more business towards the end of July time, not just because players return to pre-season.

Is it not inconsiderate of the players to organise their affairs to their maximum financial advantage but at the same time cause anguish amongst the punters on Shimperzone? Unbelievably selfish.

TheSouthendUnitedRunner · Tuesday at 12:17 PM

TheSouthendUnitedRunner said:
Pre-season matches have been arranged, with different opponents, a tour should be taking place and we’ll be playing a football league side abroad. We have a pre-season match against a side we signed someone from as part of that deal.

And just like that, some of them are announced.

kentblues · Tuesday at 12:18 PM

Liam AAS said:
Maybe, but he's from and based in Sussex so Crawley works for him on a number of levels. I'm not saying we never had a chance and I'm not saying I'm not disappointed but if you're selling a house (remember this analogy lol) and someone comes along and offers to buy at a higher price for cash, you're gonna seriously consider that offer. Gazumping is really common, especially as we're now a NL club. You only have to look at the prices Wrexham had to pay to guarantee talent coming in.

We want that calibre of player, and losing them to football league clubs is an indication of the level of ambition we have but clearly getting these deals across the line is something we're struggling with at the moment.

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

TrevorFitzpatrickHattrick · Tuesday at 12:28 PM

sufc4life21 said:
Unfortunately our owners not rich enough to go bring in the required quality to win this league. Nice guys but light pockets when it comes to the transfer market, thats bit of problem when we are in world of football where money brings success the majority of the time...... That's why we have seen in recent years the club's with the wealthy owners win this league! And it won't be any different next season. We are in different league where we are heavily reliant on past it john still to find some hidden gems which the data approves. Let's see what happens from now but I haven't got my hopes up for great summer transfer window.

Yeah, I thought they had light pockets when they only 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.