Southampton believed they had found their next Luke Shaw, but he left for free.

Despite finally securing their first Premier League win in early November, Southampton remain deep in the relegation zone, rooted at the bottom of the table. The Saints’ struggle continued with a recent 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton, adding to the challenges facing manager Russell Martin as he fights to keep Southampton afloat.

Frustrated by the performance of his current first-team options, Martin may look to young talent like Tyler Dibling to provide a much-needed spark. Southampton has a strong history of developing top-tier players, with their academy producing stars like Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Bale, for example, began his path to global stardom at Southampton before his success with Tottenham and Real Madrid. Walcott, another Southampton product, went on to score over 100 goals for Arsenal before returning to his boyhood club, and Oxlade-Chamberlain also rose to prominence after leaving Southampton for North London. Luke Shaw, too, became a household name thanks to his early years at St. Mary’s before moving to Manchester United.

Southampton likely hoped they’d found their next Shaw in 2021 with the acquisition of left-back Thierry Small. Purchased from Everton for around £5 million, Small was highly regarded, having been praised by Carlo Ancelotti as “one of the best players in the [Everton] academy.” The England U20 international impressed in Southampton’s B Team, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 22 games, but he made only one first-team appearance before his contract was terminated earlier this year. Now with Charlton Athletic in League One, Small has two assists so far this season and is working to rebuild his career.

Unlike Shaw, who made a swift rise to Southampton’s first team and ultimately attracted the attention of Manchester United, Small faces the challenge of restoring his reputation. Despite these setbacks, both Small and Southampton have opportunities for redemption — Small in his career with Charlton, and Southampton in their bid to survive the Premier League season.

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