Southampton’s Manager Ivan Juric Faces Questions Amid Transfer Strategy Uncertainty and Impending Relegation Struggles

Juric has now twice claimed he is unable to answer questions on the club's transfer approach this month ahead of the meeting this week. Speaking before the clash with Brentford, Juric was asked about plans and said: "No, we will have a meeting next week and then we will decide what to do. "Now we have too many players, we have to give them and then start thinking about maybe bringing somebody in." Following the 5-0 defeat to the Bees, he was asked if there was any update and added: "We will speak on Tuesday and then see everything we can do." Three years of Saints under Sport Republic - what progress has been made?My brief verdict on where the club is at, as we head towards a second relegation.#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) January 5, 2025 Tuesday will mark seven days of the January window being open, although there is plenty of time to trade as deadline day does not fall until February 3. But Saints have known their situation for months - they have always looked likely to drop back into the Championship - and decision-makers meet regularly. Juric's side are 10 points adrift of safety eight points behind Leicester City in 19th, having won just one of their 20 Premier League matches. Former manager Russell Martin hinted that he needed results over the festive period to convince the Saints board to give him some help in the market. Saints have lost every game since then, with Martin losing his job following the 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on December 15. It means club bosses will surely be fiscally preparing for the Championship return, rather than going all out on a punt for potential survival. Juric admitted Saints want to return loanee Maxwel Cornet to West Ham, if the Hammers agree to do so, having not played in the league since September. "That's the idea that he goes back to West Ham," said Juric, which was misconstrued at the time as confirmation that the deal was already cancelled.  The termination of his loan would mean Saints could delve into the Premier League loan market once more, with only two spots allowed to clubs at one time. Saints are free to loan in and register players from abroad to a total of up to five - could Juric call upon his contacts from coaching in the Italian Serie A? Lesley Ugochukwu says he's "very happy" to be playing again at Saints and that he "grew up a lot" during difficult five months.💬 "It's good to have someone that believes in you. That's what I get from the new gaffer, that's why I want to fight for him and the club."#SaintsFC — Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) January 6, 2025 But the focus is chiefly on departures. The club have already sorted a development loan at QPR for Ronnie Edwards, although he was not registered anyway. Saints have used all 25 of their Premier League registration spots and cannot register a new player over the age of 21 without unassigning another. They have already confirmed the arrival of Brazilian defender Welington, although Juric said: "He is not available yet. He is working out of the team." Kyle Walker-Peters is out of contract in the summer with no new deal on the horizon - could he be up for sale if the club can cash in their last opportunity? Armel Bella-Kotchap and Kamaldeen Sulemana remain available pending the right offer despite their reintegration into the squad under Juric. A deal to take Ben Brereton Diaz back to Sheffield United, initially on loan, is not yet done but strong reports suggest it will eventually be completed. Juric will be quizzed on the outcomes of Tuesday's meeting when he addresses the press ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third round meeting with Swansea. It seems bizarre that the club's plan for the window is not already clear for Juric and perhaps suggests we should not expect fireworks ahead of the deadline.