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Southampton Academy continues to produce top talent

By Jocelyn Taub

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Rickie Lambert (L) of Southampton celebrates with team mate Adam Lallana (R) after scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Manchester United at St Mary's Stadium on May 11, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Rickie Lambert (L) of Southampton celebrates with team mate Adam Lallana (R) after scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Manchester United at St Mary's Stadium on May 11, 2014 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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Southampton has had more than ten players transfer to other Premier League clubs over the past three seasons yet continue to compete at a high level.

After a seven-year absence, Southampton returned to the Premier League for the 2012-2013 season. The club has made steady progress ever since. The Saints finished 14th in their first year back. This was followed by 8th, 7th and 6th place finishes respectively over the past three campaigns.

What makes Southampton’s continued success even more impressive is that the club has become the Premier League’s top feeder club. Yet the Saints have turned losing players in to a positive by negotiating lucrative deals.

Since the club’s return to the top flight Southampton has had two managers hired away and seen ten players depart for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. For most clubs this would be a major problem. Southampton’s Academy, however, continues to develop talent. 

Mauricio Pochettino guided the club to a very respectable eighth place finish in 2013-2014. This led to interest in the club’s players and the departure of five key members of the squad.

It did not prove a problem for the south coast club. The transfer fees earned were invested wisely and the Saints did even better over the next two campaigns.

In March 2015 TalkSport Radio compiled a list of The 16 most profitable football club academies in Europe and coming in at number one was Southampton. The Saints’ academy was ranked higher than that of powerhouse clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and PSG.

Southampton has recouped £178million on player transfers since returning to the Premier League five years ago. This does not include money brought in for academy graduates Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as they left prior to the Saints’ most recent run in the Premier League.

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The list includes:

  • Jason Puncheon to Crystal Palace for £1.75m in January 2014
  • Luke Shaw to Manchester United for £33m June 2014
  • Rickie Lambert to Liverpool for £4m in June 2014 (now playing for Cardiff City on loan from West Brom)
  • Dejan Lovren to Liverpool for £20m July 2014
  • Calum Chambers to Arsenal for £16m July 2014
  • Adam Lallana to Liverpool for £25m in July 2014
  • Nathaniel Clyne to Liverpool for £12.5mJuly 2015
  • Morgan Schneiderlin to Manchester United for £24m in July 2015
  • Victor Wanyama to Tottenham for £11.5m in June 2016
  • Sadio Mane to Liverpool for £30m June 2016

Mane is the latest player to transfer from the south coast to Liverpool. Ironically it’s Southampton that is playing in Europe this season not the Merseyside club. The Saints finished sixth last year with Jurgen Klopp’s side two spots behind in eighth.

Southampton are currently eighth in the EPL table.

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