Saints have loaned out summer signing from Chelsea Dynel Simeu to Carlisle United, but this is all about toughening up the 19 year old in League Two as the central defender is highly rated at St Mary's.
Dynel Simeu arrived from Chelsea in the summer due to the first team chances being limited at Stamford Bridge, however he has found his path blocked to the Saints first team due to the fine form of late of Mohammed Salisu, Jan Bednarek and fellow summer signing Lyanco, not to mention Jack Stephens who at the moment is in 4th spot in the pecking order.
Symeu who is still only 19 was rated by many as better than Tino Livramento, but his problem as a central defender is that it is much more of a gamble to throw a teenager in the centre of defence in the Premier League, than it is to play a full back or indeed any other position.
After being on the bench for the first team on a number of occasions over the Xmas period Saints were hoping to blood him at Swansea City, but the sending off of Yan Valery after half an hour put paid to that.
It looked likely that he would play against Coventry City in the next round of the cup, but Saints have taken a different direction for a player who has been a star of the B team.
They have sent him out on loan at Carlisle United in League Two, this will give him his first taste of competitive first team football either at Saints or at Chelsea, it should toughen him up, but it should also be a good starting level to build confidence and show his talents.
So this move makes sense in his footballing development , it is most definitely a progressive move for the player, rather than a backwards step for a player who is not considered to be one for the future by the club, as has been the case on a number of our recent loans out.