Solak: 'Southampton are under no pressure to sell'
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
Dragan Solak, owner of Southampton, says the club is not forced to sell during the transfer window and aims to recreate a team at least as competitive as last season, while remaining open to departures if offers are relevant.
Dragan Solak, the owner of Southampton, has made it clear that his club is not under pressure to give up any assets during the summer transfer window. Relegated, the Saints are preparing to play a second consecutive season in the Championship and will lose the parachute payments linked to the Premier League beyond 2027 if they do not recover by then.
Despite this more delicate financial outlook for 2026-27, Solak has demonstrated its ambition to emerge from the transfer window with a competitive workforce, at the same level - or even higher - than that of the previous year. “Our main objective for this transfer window is not to make money, it is to produce at least the same team in terms of quality, if not a better one for next season,” he told BBC Radio Solent.
The owner cited the arrival of Daniel Peretz as a strong signal: “I think the signing of Daniel Peretz is proof of that and I hope that in the coming days we will have other elements showing that we are serious. »
Solak also insisted on the fact that departures would only be made on the condition of truly suitable offers: “If we had to let certain players go, it would have to be a very good offer for the club and also for the player. » He also praised the recruitment work: “On the other hand, I think we have a very good scouting staff and we follow a large number of players. »
Sport Republic, Solak's company, took over Southampton at the start of 2022. The manager reaffirmed his support for coach Tonda Eckert and assured that he did not intend to dismiss him after the wiretapping affair which earned the club exclusion from the play-offs - an exclusion whose FA investigation could lead to a sanction targeting the German coach.
Sportingly, Southampton had experienced a prosperous period before this sanction: the club had gone on a series of 21 unbeaten matches in the Championship and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup at Wembley. Youngsters like Leo Scienza, Shea Charles and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have added to this dynamic and could attract the attention of Premier League clubs during the summer.
Solak concluded by recalling the club's strategic position in the player development chain: “We have no pressure (to sell), that's for sure. We want to have the best team possible and do what's right for certain players, to keep the talent flow going. Sometimes you have to show the next step. If a player wants to play for Manchester United... if he thinks he's not ready for them and he has to come to Southampton because they'll give him a chance and develop him, he'll end up where he dreams of. For the moment, we have our place in this food chain, which I am not necessarily opposed to, and we will see if we can change this reality in the years to come, but this is our current situation. »