This is true. But at least Southampton have had the summer and longer to get adequate replacements in and not have a request dropped on them the eve of the season.
That's where Phil's sullied himself to me. The manner of how he's gone around this. No issue with him wanting to go Barcelona. But to drop it the day before the season started ..... And at that, to do it in a gutless way after training and email it in ..... regardless of any bad advice he was taking or not, very shoddy how he's handled it all. He's Neymar's bezzie. Be very naive to think he didn't know this was on the cards through the summer before PSG finally made their move.
You'll support him as it's what we do and it'd be totally counter productive not to. But he's lost a heck of a lot of respect with many.