BENASSI JOINS IN LOAN DEAL

Just days after being appointed as Southampton manager, Roberto Di Matteo has done his first piece of transfer business by bringing in Inter Milan wonderkid Marco Benassi to St Mary's on a season long loan with reported hopes of bringing him to the club permanently.

Benassi, 19, is a central midfielder and had been heavily linked with a move to Torino in recent times, but instead has decided to temporarily play for the English side, who have recently been in some trouble in terms of their squad, as five first team players decided to walk out of the door permanently and several others leaving on loan.

In 2011, Benassi signed for Inter Milan in a co-ownership deal with Modena for a fee of €180,000. He was a member of both Inter's Under 18 and Under 19 team, before being registered in the 25-man squad for the UEFA Europa League. He was then loaned to Livorno in 2013, where he scored 2 goals in 20 games. Ever since, he has been linked with a move to fellow Serie A club Torino, but that rumour was either false or Benassi has had a sudden change of heart.

Speaking of his first new recruit, Di Matteo said,
"I strongly believe that Marco is one of the best young prospects in the game. He's a fantastic talent and I wouldn't have signed him otherwise. I hope that this loan deal is just the beginning for mine and Marco's relationship in football, because I will give him many chances in the first eleven this season with the hope that he'll want to come and play for Southampton on a regular basis in the future."

"There are definitely some more signings to come. I'm in the middle of talks with Max Clayton and Eder Alvarez Balanta over permanent moves, stay tuned for more information soon."

---

---

The signing of Benassi will most likely be just the beginning for Southampton's signings, with many players rumoured to be coming to St Mary's this summer. Eder Alvarez Balanta, a centre back famed for being a very good player on Football Manager 2014, Max Clayton, a youngster from Crewe, and Abel Hernandez, a striker from Palermo, are all apparently being targeted by Di Matteo.

Great manager choice as a Chelsea fan I was very disapointed by his sacking.

the champi0n fm: Thanks, as a Spurs fan, it made me rather happy

BALANTA SIGNS FOR SAINTS

Roberto Di Matteo has made his second signing as Southampton manager, officially confirmed today, as Eder Alvarez Balanta joins the Saints for a fee of £5m from River Plate. The centre back was in Colombia's successful World Cup squad that took the unlucky side to the quarter finals before being knocked out by hosts Brazil.

Balanta, 21, started his career at Academia FC (now dissolved and called Llaneros FC) in 2010, but a successful youth run attracted clubs across South America, where he chose River Plate as his first senior club.

In just two years, he made the senior squad at the age of 19, and made his debut against Racing Club. In his third senior football match, he scored his first ever senior goal against Godoy Cruz, and scored two goals in 42 appearances for the Argentinian side from 2011 to today. In this time, he has made 4 appearances for his national team, Colombia, scoring no goals.

Di Matteo had spoken about his hopes of signing Balanta, and as the deal was confirmed, he said this,
"Balanta is simply fantastic. He's a great player and I'm amazed that we could pick him up for such a low fee, and I'm sure that when the fans see him, they will be too. He may just be the best signing I've ever made as a football manager, that is how highly I rate him."

---

---

Southampton start their season with games against West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Liverpool in the month of August, as well as a Capital One Cup tie with a team yet to be announced. You can see the draw on the 8th August.

great signing Balanta becomes the best player in the game after a few seaso ns what a bargain

The most bought player in FM is now in Southampton. Good luck with him:P

Benassi is a beast! Loving the GFX, but not quite on the level of mine

the champi0n fm: Thanks! I agree that it was a bargain

xander_dunlop1: Haha, thanks

Tallery: I agree. And normally, I'd try and argue against you, but I'm not too keen on those graphics either. I will do better than this, I promise

KURZAWA NAMED LATEST SAINTS ADDITION

The third player to join Roberto Di Matteo's Southampton team has today been revealed as AS Monaco left back Layvin Kurzawa, who arrives at St Mary's for a large sum of £15m. The 21 year-old is yet to make an appearance for the France national team, but has made a total of 12 appearances for the youth teams.

Kurzawa has been a part of the Monaco team since before they were taken over by billionaires, but today the Frenchman has found himself thrown out of the Ligue 1 side's squad and is now part of the Saints first team, as confirmed by new manager Roberto Di Matteo.

With only Ryan Bertrand as a left back, Southampton definitely needed to strengthen there, especially as, after next season, they would've had nobody playing in that position. Kurzawa is said to be a promising and talented defender and according to many fans, he's a fantastic acquisition from Di Matteo.

---

Janet Wilson-Kurzawa said... "Why my cousin has left Monaco?"

Michael Lelegation said... "What a fantastic signing for Southampton! He's a brilliant player and now Di Matteo has completely gained my trust as manager of the Saints!"

Tanya Tanayson said... "I'm a Chelsea fan, why would I care?"

---

Some positive reaction indeed from fans and rivals of the club from South England. Di Matteo has spoken about his new signing,
"I feel extremely lucky to be able to sign Kurzawa as well as the two players I have previously signed. If this record continues, who knows what we will be able to achieve this season, let alone in my entire time. I have the feeling something very successful will come of this season and my career at Southampton if this keeps going as well as it is, and the season hasn't even begun yet."

---

"If this record continues, who knows what we will be able to achieve this season"

-Roberto Di Matteo on his successful signings, including Layvin Kurzawa and Eder Alvarez Balanta

---

Southampton start their season with games against West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Liverpool in the month of August, as well as a Capital One Cup tie with a team yet to be announced. You can see the draw on the 8th August.

Michael Lelegation lmao

Lol - "I'm a Chelsea fan, why should I care?" :DD

Bashy345, basham97: Hehe, thanks

SOUTHAMPTON COMPLETE TRANSFERS WITH AJAX ATTACKER

Roberto Di Matteo has revealed that he is finished making transfers this summer as Ajax attacking midfielder Lasse Schone has joined Southampton for a fee of £7.5m. This concludes a busy summer for the Saints, who have had to rebuild their squad after many first team players departed.

Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana all joined Premier League giants Liverpool this summer, while Calum Chambers and Luke Shaw left for Arsenal and Manchester United respectively, as well as Mauricio Pochettino leaving St Mary's to be manager of Tottenham Hotspur, meaning their new manager had a lot of work to be done.

Before Di Matteo was hired, players such as Dusan Tadic, Graziano Pelle and Florin Gardos had been revealed as replacements for these departing players, but clearly they were not enough and the former Chelsea player decided to bring in a selection of young players.

These players include centre back Eder Alvarez Balanta, left back Layvin Kurzawa, central midfielder Marco Benassi and above mentioned Schone, as well as youth player Max Clayton from Crewe, who has since been loaned out to Preston North End. A busy transfer market for the Saints has lead to some footballing pundits predicting a successful first season under Di Matteo.

Speaking of his new signing, who arrives from Ajax for £7.5m, and the transfer window as a whole, Di Matteo said,
"The summer transfer window at Southampton has been concluded by the signing of Lasse Schone, a fantastic attacking player who will add something special to our wings. I will definitely be alternating game after game with the players I have managed to sign. People are saying I am overrating these signings and the players as a whole, but I am showing confidence in my team, because as a manager, if you don't have confidence, you will eventually fail."

---

---

Stay tuned to see the 2013/14 Premier League Season Preview, which will have many details included such as predicted line-ups, predicted finishes and overviews for each club.

Southampton start their season with games against West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Liverpool in the month of August, as well as a Capital One Cup tie with a team yet to be announced. You can see the draw on the 8th August.

really nice update man! love that graphic, and also the wee added bonus with the quote: Schone should be a great signing for you!

Good signing in Kurzawa if a bit pricey he has really impressed me irl , Schone has been fa ntastic in my Ajax save but i feel he is not worth that much especially as he is nearly 30