Nathan Jones insisted deadline day signing Paul Onuachu could offer Saints a real target man like “(Armando) Broja and (Graziano) Pelle”. Jones also revealed that he has not had any further conversations with Rasmus Ankersen and the Sport Republic directors, who have spent over £100million this season since acquiring the club.
Nathan Jones said: “We haven’t made knee-jerk decisions and reactions and suddenly gone berserk to keep us up. Paul is a player who scores goals and is one of the top goalscorers in Europe. He gives us something we haven’t got, real size and aggression and something totally different to what this football club has had, along with maybe Broja and Pelle as the last real target men at the football club. We’ve brought them in to supplement what we’ve got with Che, Arma and Sekou, and Kamaldeen was very sought after. He’s 20 years of age, really exciting with pace and power, can score goals and create and will only get better. We’ve had a good window because it’s people that will help us now but will also safeguard the future of the football club.”
Nathan Jones added: “We are excited because in every single window you’ll see this squad shape up so at no point will we go into games where we are fearful of set-pieces, or fearful of aggression or pace or anything. We will get a rounded squad over time, I’ve built squads that are well-rounded, consistent, potent and are full of character and athleticism. In terms of my previous clubs, they had assets to sell. One of the best squads in the Championship, the most balanced with youth and experience but pace and power – the quickest team in the Championship. Then, there are people that other teams want to buy – they’ve sold three in the window. Players like James Justin, Jack Stacey, Isaac Vassel all went for money. We want to build squads that one, win games. Two, are really valuable and three, they have real continuity. It’s important we have players who are not here for one season and have to move on, players that have real continuity. At my previous club, there are players who got promoted from League Two who are now looking to get promoted from the Premier League. That shows good recruitment and that’s what we have to do here.”
