JUST IN: Southampton’s summer warning to Leeds United and rivals is blowing up in their face as Whites visit

Southampton’s summer warning to Leeds United and rivals is blowing up in their face as Whites visit

Southampton’s early summer deal with Russell Martin and tens of millions in transfer sales was lauded as a model Leeds United and others were being left behind by

Southampton’s early summer deal with Russell Martin and tens of millions in transfer sales was lauded as a model Leeds United and others were being left behind by

Southampton’s early summer deal with Russell Martin and tens of millions in transfer sales was lauded as a model Leeds United and others were being left behind by

North of £150m in player sales and a new manager lined up since mid-May, Southampton were supposed to be the relegated side turning the screw on Leeds United this season. Sadly for Russell Martin and the Saints, they now await the Whites on the back of four consecutive defeats and 19 goals conceded, the most in the Championship.

Southampton’s early summer deal with Russell Martin and tens of millions in transfer sales was lauded as a model Leeds United and others were being left behind by

Southampton were consigned to the Premier League drop before the Whites or Leicester City and the narrative was spun about how that could be an advantage to them. It allowed the club and its owners to get a jump on the competition and start preparing for second-tier football faster than their rivals, supposedly.

The first reports about Martin’s arrival from Swansea City being a done deal emerged on May 19, more than a week before the top-flight season had even finished. Even if he was not confirmed in the job until June 22, it was an open secret Martin was measuring up his squad weeks before the announcement was made.

This would, theoretically, give Martin more time to work out what he was going to do with that set of players and get a head start on how he would look to remould it in the summer window. Meanwhile, United were navigating their way through the politics of a takeover and ratification.

Daniel Farke would not be in the building until July 4 and the takeover would not be green-lit by the EFL until another 13 days had passed. As the German began to see the long, slow trickle of loan exits, his transfer war chest unhelped, Martin was watching former Leeds winger Jason Wilcox drive multiple eight-figure sales.