Known for their renowned academy, which has produced stars like Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale, and Theo Walcott, Southampton has recently focused on attracting talent from other academies, offering a clear pathway to senior professional football. They seem poised to continue this approach with Ajay Matthews, an 18-year-old striker from Middlesbrough who has garnered attention after scoring 16 goals in 17 starts this season for the youth team. Southampton and other clubs, including Celtic, Rangers, Brighton, Brentford, and Newcastle, are reportedly in discussions and optimistic about securing Matthews’ signature, aiming to provide him with opportunities to develop further.

Matthews has demonstrated his goal-scoring ability at youth level and made his senior debut for Middlesbrough with a brief appearance in a 4-3 loss to Leeds United in April. His subsequent seven-minute outing against Cardiff marks his only senior-level minutes so far.

Southampton could be an appealing destination for Matthews due to the club’s reputation for nurturing young talent. However, it’s unlikely he will immediately feature in the first team, especially with Southampton returning to the Premier League where the stakes are higher.

Manager Russell Martin may be hesitant to risk fielding an 18-year-old regularly in such a competitive environment. Instead, Matthews is likely to benefit from consistent playtime with Southampton’s under-23 squad. This opportunity will allow him to refine his skills and prepare for a potential breakthrough into the Saints’ senior team in the near future.