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Southampton FC CEO Martin Semmens explains club's transfer strategy

17 February 2022
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Southampton FC have to box clever in the transfer market if they are to compete against better funded clubs.

That is the view of Southampton FC CEO Martin Semmens who says the club have to keep a talent pipeline running at St Mary's by continuing to attract good prospects who are looking to advance their careers.

Martin Semmens, who was appointee CEO in 2019, told BBC Radio Five Live:

“People assume that we want to sell players to make money. It has absolutely nothing to do with money, it’s to do with the pathway,” said Semmens.

“If you don’t let, say, Tino Livramento go to Liverpool one day when they want him, then the next one doesn’t come in.

“We don’t want the money, we would much rather have that fantastic player but if you don’t give people the view they could one day replace Sadio Mane at Liverpool, they don’t want to be here.

“The ultimate destination for us is not about where we finish in the league – it’s about providing a competitive advantage against the guys with more money.

“Let’s say Everton have spent £300m on players more than we have since I’ve been in the job, Aston Villa spent £150m more than we did last summer, so how are we going to beat these teams?

“And our way is about creating a better environment, being 2% better at everything from medicine to food to doctors to cleaning the building, every tiny detail.

“That’s our way of winning – it’s not because we love young people or because we think we are going to make more money out of it, it’s because that’s how we think we are going to win games.”

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Serbian ​​​​​​​Dragan Solak, the businessman behind cable-TV operator United Group, bought a controlling stake in the club, who currently sit 10th in the Premiership, from Gao Jisheng in January.

Martin Semmens said the takeover would not alter the club's approach to signings.

"We were fine before - [former owner] Mr Gao [Jisheng] was a very decent and interesting guy, he added.

"He just probably shouldn't have been owning a football team in the Chinese market as it wasn't the right moment so he allowed us to go and pick the people we felt were right for our future so he passed that responsibility over to us.

"He said go and find the right person which was brilliant of him.

"These guys have given us a boost because they are here, but much more than that. They are deeply experienced. One (Henrik Kraft) who is deeply experienced in business and investing, strategy and building models.

"Rasmus (Ankersen) has a deep understanding of football so we can build those models together and Dragan [Solak] has the investment and the funds to help us move forward."

The Southampton CEO added: "It's not going to change us and you're not going to see Philippe Coutinho arrive here in the transfer window, that's not our model.

"But it probably allows us to be more flexible and reactive to when the next Tino (Livramento) is available and allows us to push to make the top ten thing more of a reality."

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the Southampton City of Culture Bid


Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset.

Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users.

He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.

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