Sales about 'player pathway, not money'

Southampton chief executive Martin Semmens says Saints’ reputation as a selling club is off the mark and all departures are a key part of the Premier League club’s long-term strategy.

In an exclusive interview on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Semmens detailed a five-point plan of recruitment, environment, on-field experience, improvement and end product.

“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.”

Listen to Semmens' interview in full from 07'35 on the BBC Football Daily Podcast on BBC Sounds