Dominic Ballard had his season cut short by a nasty injury whilst out on loan at Reading last year, now after his recovery it is likely that he will return to the Berkshire club to continue where he left off.
Just under a year ago Dominic Ballard was joining Reading on loan, for what he and Saints hoped would be a season were he toughened himself up and got himself to the standard required to challenge for a place in the Southampton first team.
He had made a great start to the season for the Saints U21 team in Premier League 2, scoring a hat trick in the first two of his three games before going out on loan, but the feeling was he needed to get a little experience before he was match ready at what was hoped would be a Premier League season on his return .
That seemed to be going to plan in League One with the Royals, in the 11 league games he could have been involved in, he started 6 and had another 4 appearances off the bench, scoring 3 goals in the process.
But in the 10th game of those appearances he snapped his patellar tendon against Wycombe Wanderers in November 2023.
Now he is back in training at Staplewood, but it seems that Saints now back in the Premier League, still have the same plan laid out for him with RDG.Today claiming that Reading are hopeful that he will return.
The only hitch could be if Saints feel that he is ready to step up a division and decide that a Championship club might be a better option.
Saints fans will have the opportunity to see how Ballard is progressing when the U21 side, possibly boosted by a first team squad member or two, kick off the club's pre season friendly programme at AFC Totton on Saturday afternoon.