Leyton Orient set to sign Southampton striker Dom Ballard - there will be a “significant” clause | OneFootball

Leyton Orient are set to land the signature of forward Dom Ballard, but Southampton will be keeping a close eye on any further transfer of the player.

Leyton Orient are set to secure the signature of Southampton forward Dom Ballard before the end of the summer transfer window.

The O's have had a difficult start to the 2025-26 season, with just two wins from their first six matches leaving them in 16th place in the League One table following a 1-0 home defeat to Northampton Town on Saturday.

Orient finished last season in sixth position in League One before narrowly losing the play-off final to Charlton Athletic, but following the loss of several key players over the course of the summer, Orient have rebuilding work that they've needed to do.

And with just a couple of days of the transfer window left to bring in any new players, they'll have received a considerable boost with the news that Ballard, who's just entered the last year of his contract with Southampton, is set to join their club.

Southampton will retain a "significant sell-on clause" from the sale of Dom Ballard to Leyton Orient

The Southampton Daily Echo reports that Leyton Orient are set to secure the signature of Dom Ballard, with the forward "in search of a new challenge" after four years with Southampton during which he had spells on loan with three different League One clubs.

Ballard was sent to Reading on a season-long loan for 2023-24 and performed well, scoring three goals in ten games before a snapped patella sent him back to St Mary's in 2023 for surgery, leaving the forward out for the rest of the season.

The youngster then signed Blackpool last summer, only to be recalled at the start of January and then sent on to Cambridge United, where he made 18 appearances throughout the second half of the season as the Abbey Stadium outfit were relegated from League One.

The report also confirms that, although the forward will be leaving St Mary's, his former club will continue to have an interest in the player, with "a significant sell-on percentage clause" having been written into his contract.

This amount - as well as the transfer fee - remain unknown, but should Ballard fulfil the potential he's had since he was a teenager, then Saints stand to profit from any potential future move for the 20-year-old.

Leyton Orient need Dom Ballard's attacking reinforcement following Kelman departure

Dom Ballard signed his first senior contract with Southampton in 2022 but has been unable to break into the first team at St Mary's since then, with just two League appearances, one FA Cup appearance and one EFL Cup appearance for the Saints since then, all during the 2022-23 season.

And Orient could be the perfect landing spot for the striker.

They've already brought Aaron Connelly in on a free transfer from Millwall this summer, but he's only scored once in his first six league appearances for them this season.

It's clear that Orient are still missing Charlie Kelman, who was the top goalscorer in League One while on loan to them from Queens Park Rangers last season, but who has since signed for Charlton Athletic.

Southampton's belief in the player can be seen in them insisting on a sell-on clause in the event that Leyton Orient can later sell him on at a profit. Orient will be hoping that Ballard can fill the vacuum filled by the loss of Kelman at the end of last season, but he may take time to get up to speed for Richie Wellens' side.