LATEST UPDATE: Three Southampton talents that have an opportunity to join Russell Martin’s team

Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier are just two of the many Premier League talents that have come out of Southampton’s illustrious academy.

The South Coast Club has always put a high value on nurturing young players and providing them with an opportunity to play for the first team.

The latest examples are Will Smallbone and Jack Stephens, as well as James Ward-Prowse before to his £30 million move to West Ham United last summer.

According to Transfermarkt, Russell Martin has a Saints team that is, on average, 23 years and nine months old this season.

That suggests that he is willing to believe in young players. In light of this, Southampton News has examined three academy standouts who make the transition to the senior team.

Dom Ballard

Dom Ballard, the player who has been making waves for the under-21s, is probably well known to most Southampton supporters.

The prolific forward, who was born in 2005, has already scored in three EFL Cup games for the first team out of four appearances. In 2022, the squad defeated Cambridge United 3-0.

He was called the team’s “greatest talent for years” by X FX Saints Analysis, and his goal total unquestionably supports that assertion.

Prior to being signed on a season-long loan by League One team Reading on deadline day, he scored eight goals in four appearances for the reserve side earlier in the year.

Eight times capped by England’s under-19 team, Ballard scored three goals in six starts for The Royals before to needing surgery for a patella injury.

He will miss the rest of the season, although he might be back by the beginning of the 2024–2025 season.

Samuel Amo-Ameyaw

Another talented Saints player who has already played for the senior team is Samuel Amo-Ameyaw.

The 17-year-old, who made an impression in the reserve lineup, has made eight appearances for Martin’s team and is frequently benched.

After leaving Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022 to join the South Coasters, Amo-Ameyaw has played in 19 Premier League 2 games, contributing three assists and eight goals.

The wide-footed left-hander plays for the England youth team.

Tyler Dibling

Tyler Dibling, who was once in Chelsea’s academy, leads Southampton’s under-21 team in assists this year with four.

After four appearances for the senior team, the 18-year-old is ready to establish himself in Martin’s starting lineup for the upcoming campaign.

After making his Championship debut in January, Dibling contributed eight goals in 11 starts for the PL2 this season. Martin was full of praise for the talented young player.

The Saints manager stated, “He can do special things and he is very good physically, but I don’t want to build him up too much because he is only 17.”

“Until Tyler establishes himself in the team—which I hope he does here under us—this will be his challenge.”