Saints are report ably going to launch a bid to sign Motherwell's 18 year old highly rated midfielder Lennon Miller, but is another youngster, no matter how talented really what the club needs to get them out of the relegation zone come May.

I have not been a critic of the club's recent recruitment strategy of targeting promising youngsters as some Southampton supporters have been, I think overall in the past few seasons its produced enough quality, plus some who are still a work in progress, to be able to label it a success.

The likes of Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento were true quality and their transfer fees alone have covered the costs of those who haven't lived up to expectations.

Indeed it could be said that signing youngsters has not been the problem, but the signing of experienced players such as Mislav Orsic, Tall Paul Onuachu, Ross Stewart & even Ben Brereton Diaz that have proved to be the flops.

This season we have seen Mateus Fernades arrive and be an immediate success and it seems that the club are continuing this path if the likes of givesmesport.com are correct.

They are claiming that Motherwell's Lennon Miller is on the radar of Southampton, who have been sending scouts to their games, they go on to say that it would take a record fee paid to Motherwell to get Miller, although as that currently stands at £3 million, that should not be too much of a problem.

Miller who only turned 18 in August broke into the side last season and as of today has started 31 plus another 8 as sub games for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League.

But with Southampton in the midst of a relegation battle, this is not the news that Saints supporters want to hear, they see a squad lacking in Premier League experience and leadership and more to the point run by a manager against against whom the same charges could be levelled.

They will say we have too many promising youngsters, in January it is time to buy experience to get us up the table and they would have a point.

However the fact that we are being linked with a promising youngster, does not mean that we are not also targeting experience, most transfer targets are kept under wraps by the club who are trying to but, it is usually the selling club or the players agent, that link transfer rumours to drum up business and push up the price.

So although Southampton supporters would be right to raise their eyebrows at these headlines, that does not mean that they should be getting the burning torches and pitchforks out for Sport Republic just yet.

They should also be cautious about what happened in January 2023, probably the worst January transfer window in the club's history, back then the fans clamoured for experience and they got it, but it did not do us much good.

Lennon Miller might well go on to be a Southampton legend, we should not stop trying to sign his sort of player, indeed it is what the club has been doing for over 65 years, since Ted Bates in the 1950's to be exact, a manager who blended youngsters coming through the youth system with both players at their peak and indeed those who were past their best, but brought some vital experience to the party.

We don't always get it right, but even now we haven't got it completely wrong either and it doesn't mean that the next transfer window will be a disaster because the last one hasn't been great.

All Photos Via Reuters

Jesus_02 added 10:51 - Nov 7 We are going to need someone to replace dibbling
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SaintPaulVW added 11:13 - Nov 7 ...and Fernandes...
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Bowlercow added 11:41 - Nov 7 If SR keep faith with RM then players like Fernandez and Dibling will stay Wherever he has coached his players have stayed loyal Downes Wood for example As for experienced players find me just one who is good and still willing to come here for the fight ahead Remember Lambert How much PL experience did he have Anyway experience is something no one has until just after they needed it

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Block8 added 20:20 - Nov 7 This boy is being watched by several clubs, all bigger than us apparently, so maybe at the price suggested is worth a punt. However, we really need to reduce the size of our squad before adding to it. There are have a lot of experienced players that are not performing, or being given the opportunity to perform, depending on your personal viewpoint. It's costing us in wages and retarding the progress of our current batch of young players. Sam Amo-Ameyaw being a prime example.

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