Southampton have made yet another signing, this one has been on the cared for a while and it is no surprise that it is Thierry Small from Everton, read of for more details.

Saints have announced the signing of 17 year old Left back Thierry Small from Everton, Small who was Everton's youngest ever player only turned 17 on August 1st but is considered one of the brightest prospects in English football and Saints consider this signing something of a coup.

Small refused a professional deal with Everton on his 17th birthday citing that he wished to be at a club that offered him the chance of breaking into the first team.

Whether that club is Saints given we have just signed a left back in Romain Perraud remains to be seen, but clearly both Thierry Small and the club feel that he could potentially be challenging for the left back spot very soon.

The club statement reads as follows'

Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce it has completed a deal for sought-after teenage talent Thierry Small, with the youngster moving to St Mary’s from Everton.

The 17-year-old left-back has signed a three-year professional contract with the club, adding further strength and depth to Ralph Hasenhüttl’s squad ahead of the summer transfer window closing.

A product of the Everton academy, Small is considered one of the most promising young full-backs in the country, while he has also spent time operating as a central defender and left winger.

He wrote his name into the Everton history books earlier this year, when he became the club’s youngest ever senior player, making his debut in an FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday at the age of just 16 years and 176 days, having already become a regular for the club’s Under-23s side.

Solihull-born Small also received a maiden call up to the England Under-19s squad in May and now becomes the third defender to be added to the first-team group this summer, following the arrivals of Romain Perraud and fellow teenager Tino Livramento.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl said: “I am very pleased we have been able to bring in another talented young player, especially when there were again a number of clubs who were interested.

“I think our philosophy of how we develop these young players and give them their opportunities has been an important factor in this, and we are looking forward to working with Thierry and helping him make the most of his potential.

“We have already signed a player this summer with good experience at left-back in Romain Perraud, and Thierry’s arrival now gives us a very good balance and a strong additional option in that position, and this is encouraging that we now have this on both sides of our defence.”

Thierry Small said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling. A big moment for me and my family, especially to join such a family-orientated club. It’s an honour to be here and I can’t wait to get started.

“It’s a real great honour to play here and play under Ralph and I’m grateful to be here.

“The people when I came to visit the club, everyone was so friendly and so nice. It’s such a big place and a great city when I came to visit, and I thought this is the best place for me to develop as a player and reach new levels to my game.”

Photo: Action Images

SaintPaulVW added 12:52 - Aug 24 Amazingly we appear to have turned the fullback position, which was held together over the last few years with loan players and contracts running down into the strongest position on our team with competition for places and real depth in one transfer window. Great work behind the scenes.
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Block8 added 13:20 - Aug 24 We have signed some very good prospects in this window. Should help our future team, and finances when they move on. There's still a lack of a dominant CB which worries me but can't denigrate our scouting system this season!
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highfield49 added 13:22 - Aug 24 Looks very much like another great signing for the club. What an exciting change from the expensive dross we've squandered £millions on in recent years.
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DellBoyWally added 13:26 - Aug 24 In a couple of seasons, assuming we don't get relegated🤔🙄 we are going to have an amazing team, all young, all talented. Having whinged and moaned, blaming Kat and Goa for a lack of investment, will the anti-owners and anti-board brigade applaud the investment made? Doubt it!. They have to, and can only, moan and complain, it's their nature. The rest of us, the true supporters (my 63rd season!) will continue to back the club and look to success to come.

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KriSaint added 13:45 - Aug 24 We needed this signing, but it probably also brings up the question whether Yan Valery is going to stay.
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Colburn added 14:07 - Aug 24 Fantastic work by Ralph and the club. Finally we've turned the tables, now signing the best young players from top clubs instead of the other way round.. We deserve these chances because of the faith we have given young players and they can see pathways forward with Saints. Very impressed with the signings this summer so far, thngs are starting to look better at St Mary's. I'll take the ticket debacle every season if the transfer signings are this positive!

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PaleRider added 14:11 - Aug 24 In answer to DellBoyWally. As exciting as the recent signings are, signing young, talented players is a high-risk strategy because they will need a little time - hopefully we have that time, the risk pays off and we have an amazing team in a couple of seasons' time. In our financial position, it is the right thing to do, rather than risk over-spending on crocks. However, this doesn't take away from the fact that under Gao's ownership we have gone backwards. Many mistakes have been made over the last few years both on and off the pitch and I hope that he has learnt from the experience. Could we expect a better owner - who knows? All I know is that the supporters were here before him and will be here after he goes. The owners are only the custodians of the clubs - it's not like owning another type of business. I too will support Saints, but not unreservedly so. I am though a mere youngster,; I've only supported Saints for 55 years!

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ElijahK added 15:22 - Aug 24 Sorry DellBoyWally do you not realise that we’ve still got a negative ten spend for this stranger window? As the only reason this has been a really decent one is simply down to our negation teams and our scouts. As we’ve managed to sell players for some great prices as well as buying them to for great prices, and got rid of all the trash players and their wages. But none of this had anything to do with Gao investing into the club, so until we see it net spends be where we’ve spent at least like £20mil more than we’ve sold then sorry but it’s pretty clear he’s still not invested. As by the looks of things we’ll be signing 1 or 2 more players this transfer market which will probably send our net spend to 0, which shows that the board and the club itself has done great, but Gao has just done bugger all as per usual

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KilkennySaint added 15:51 - Aug 24 Another great addition this season, good to see our recruitment back on track and getting young prospects in. I hope we get to see Small & Simeu feature in the first team this season (just look at how good Tino is doing) and not held back as i believe we are doing with Tella. I'm happy we gave Ralph time because when he came he couldn't build his own team straight away since there was so much deadwood that he was never going to use, looking over the past five seasons is clear that we cant just get rid of players straight way, how long did we have Classie, Hodet, Lemina, Carrillo, Boufal before we could get rid.

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pintsizedsaint added 18:11 - Aug 24 It’s an understatement to say this is a stellar coup. This guy is very very highly regarded. Everton were desperate to keep him, but he refused two improved contract offers. What we are tapping into here is the “Sancho effect” as more and more very talented young players are getting frustrated at their big clubs. It’s great to see that these players put getting valuable experience over barely warming benches whilst watching others leapfrog them on even bigger salaries. Saints are clearly a big draw for their history of developing young talent (just the fact Livremento went straight into the squad is enough to evidence our intent) and it’s great we’re proactively seeking out transfers here. Yet it won’t be long before other clubs seek the same - Leicester and Brighton will be very interested in Saints transfer window for one

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davidargyll added 18:31 - Aug 24 I think pintsizedsaint is absolutely tight, but for one thing. The bigger clubs like Leicester won’t follow our lead because they are after instant results and are happy to pay up for the developed article. As for Brighton, I think our reputation and set-up (and manager?) will continue to beat anything they can offer. Let’s just wait and see if this youth-buying project looks good in two season’s time and, if it has been, maybe we might be a bit worried about losing one or two. But equally if by then it has paid off, we just might be knocking on the doors of a European place. LET’S AT LEAST HAVE FAITH IN THE PROJECT BOYS…!

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KriSaint added 20:48 - Aug 24 @PaleRider & @DellBoyWally I like your comments, thank you, and I sympathize with you both. This comes from a Danish lad who has supported Saints for 41½ years. I was at the Dell for the first time in Easter 1985, 17 years old, when I saw Saints loose 1-2 to Everton. George Lawrence missed a penalty and Joe Jordan scored our 1-2 consolation goal. Kevin Richardson, a youngster at the time, scored both Evertons goals. Peter Shilton, one of my big heroes, was my man of the match. My favourite out-field player no. 1 at the time, Steve Moran, didn't play because of an injury, unfortunately, and it turned out I would never get to watch him play as he had moved to Leicester (or Sheff. Wednesday?) when I went to the South Coast again to watch the team I'm proud to have supported for so many years. COYS <3

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