Southampton are well known for their ability to just keep on producing young talented football players, year on year!
Our landlord here at the Transfer Tavern can only sit back and admire, too, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke Shaw all coming through in recent times.
The problem for the Saints, then, doesn’t seem to be producing the talent but it is having the ability to keep them at the club. If you look at their potential starting eleven, had they managed to keep it, they would challenge for the Premier League but unfortunately for the club they just didn’t have enough financial clout.
They have so many young players currently in their academy and first team who show the characteristics that the players before them have shown and they really could be on to great things if the club can keep them. Indeed, they also have some brilliant natural born leaders in their team, without a doubt.
Which bring us onto the idea that for sure these two Southampton starlets have the potential to be a future captain at the club, in years to come…
JACK STEPHENS
Jack Stephens has been thrown in at the deep-end of late and could be a star of the future given the way he has quickly adapted to his surroundings.
The young defender has profited from the departure of Jose Fonte and the lengthy injury lay-off to Virgil Van Dijk, allowing him to get into the team, and has looked a composed and physical presence since. There’s no reason why he can’t grow into being a captain.
ALFIE JONES
The 19-year-old is already a leader, having captained the Saints youth team and has gained quite the reputation already at such a young age.
With that being said and the amount of defensive injuries the side currently have, it could be only a matter of time before we see his name of the team-sheet in the first team more often.
He’s already a born leader and if the club can keep him then there is no doubt in our minds that he will lead the Saints’ first team from the back.
Thoughts, Southampton fans? Let us know below!
