Southampton join Aston Villa and Tottenham in keeping tabs on Everton player | OneFootball

Southampton are among a host of clubs in England and across Europe watching Everton youngster Douglas Lukjanciks.

Douglas Lukjanciks career so far

The 16-year-old keeper is not a name that many fans will have heard of, as he currently plays for the Everton academy, with most of his appearances coming in the U18 side, which is a year above his normal age group.

As well as playing for the Toffees, Lukjanciks has also earned international recognition, representing England at youth level, and he is also eligible to play for Latvia if he wants.

Douglas Lukjanciks transfer latest

The stopper is developing a reputation as a very exciting talent, and it seems he could have a big decision to make about his future in the years to come.

That’s after the Daily Mail revealed that clubs across Europe are keeping an eye on Lukjanciks, with Saints potentially going up against the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille and Spurs for his signature.

“Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen are among a clutch of top European clubs interested in signing England Under-17 goalkeeper Douglas Lukjanciks this summer.

“Leverkusen, German rivals RB Leipzig and French club Marseille have all watched Lukjanciks, who is regarded as one of England’s most promising keepers and has often played above his age group, including with the national team and Everton Under-18s.

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“Lukjanciks, who finishes school this summer, is set to join Everton’s academy as a scholar in July, but the interest from home and abroad could yet see him decide to continue his career elsewhere.”

Due to his age, Lukjanciks hasn’t yet signed a professional contract at Goodison Park, so he is in a position where he can decide his next move and leave the club if he wishes, although Everton would be entitled to compensation for the role they have played in his development.

Southampton continue to target younger players

On paper, a move to Southampton would probably be the least attractive due to all the other clubs mentioned currently playing in a top division, although they will hope to be a Premier League side in the coming months, with Russell Martin’s men currently fourth in the Championship right now.

However, we know it doesn’t always work like that for young players, and Saints’ outstanding reputation for improving youngsters and giving them opportunities means they could have a chance of landing the keeper, as he may see them as the ideal next step in his career.

It’s a clear strategy for the club to bring in players at a young age, in the hope they will develop, play for the first-team, and potentially get sold on in the future for a substantial profit - and Lukjanciks is someone the club think fits the bill on that front.

So, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, but the level of clubs monitoring Lukjanciks suggests it would be a real coup for Southampton if he ends up at St. Mary’s Stadium.