90min
·5 August 2022
90min
·5 August 2022
Southampton have taken a new approach to the transfer market this summer, buying a handful of exciting young talents in the hope of watching them explode into superstars in the coming years.
It's a welcome shift from the previous model which has yielded some increasingly underwhelming results, although the risk that comes with giving such significance to young players needs no explaining.
Whatever the result, it promises to be a rollercoaster of a season for Southampton. Here's all you need to know about the Saints.
Clearly bolstered by the immediate impact made by Tino Livramento last season before his nasty injury, Southampton have gone young this summer. They've plucked Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia from the Manchester City academy, as well as striking deals for 19-year-old forward Sekou Mara and 20-year-old defender Armel Bella-Kotchap. Midfielder Joe Aribo has also joined from Rangers.
In the exit column, the departures of Fraser Forster and Shane Long have contributed to a massive drop in the average age of this Saints squad.
Numbers subject to change before end of transfer window
1) Alex McCarthy2) Kyle Walker-Peters4) Lyanco5) Jack Stephens6) Oriol Romeu7) Joe Aribo8) James Ward-Prowse9) Adam Armstrong10) Che Adams11) Nathan Redmond13) Willy Caballero15) Romain Perraud17) Stuart Armstrong19) Moussa Djenepo21) Tino Livramento22) Mohammed Salisu23) Nathan Tella24) Mohamed Elyounoussi27) Ibrahima Diallo30) Mateusz Lis31) Gavin Bazunu32) Theo Walcott35) Jan Bednarek37) Armel Bella-Kotchap38) Dynel Simeu43) Yan Valery45) Romeo Lavia
Anyone with even a casual interest in Southampton will know that their season will rely on the form of club captain James Ward-Prowse.
The midfielder continued to push his case for being the best free-kick taker in Premier League history last year, and his return of ten goals is the highest he has ever managed in his top-flight career.
It's impossible to pick one here as nearly all of Southampton's new signings promise to be fascinating viewing this year.
At the back, Bazunu is a top prospect in goal and Bella-Kotchap has earned rave reviews as a destructive force at the back, while further forward, Lavia has dominated in youth football and Mara had some scouts believing he could be a brighter prospect that Paris Saint-Germain's new signing Hugo Ekitike.
It would be no surprise if Aribo outshines them across their debut campaign, owing to his experience at a high level, but the younger quartet all have signing-of-the-season potential if they can break out like Southampton hope.
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While the potential for the Saints to explode this season is there, the reality is that bringing in so many young players with limited top-flight experience is a massive risk for a side in Southampton's precarious position.
It's absolutely a step in the right direction for the club, but rebuilding an ageing squad takes time and it would perhaps be wise for fans to temper their expectations in the short term.
It might be a tricky year for Southampton, but if they can stay afloat, the next few years could be a whole lot of fun.