Southampton players have made their return to the club’s Staplewood training ground as preparations begin for the 2024/25 season.
Russell Martin will no doubt have spent the short summer break planning for Southampton‘s Premier League return in the knowledge that a lot of work is needed to be ready for the top flight.
That work has already begun behind the scenes, as Southampton have welcomed the arrivals of Adam Lallana, Charlie Taylor, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood this summer.
Pre-season can represent a clean slate for players and everyone in the Southampton squad will be keen to impress Martin enough to prove they should be a Premier League starter.
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It also offers youth players an opportunity to show they are ready to make the step up to the first-team and so far three Southampton academy gems have been spotted in first-team training this week.
Sam Amo-Ameyaw will be keen to build on last pre-season
The first of those spotted in Southampton’s social media posts of pre-season training is Sam Amo-Ameyaw.
Amo-Ameyaw was a revelation for Martin last summer and was a surprise inclusion in the first-team squad throughout pre-season before featuring in three of the first four Championship games of the campaign.
Just 16 at the start of last summer, Amo-Ameyaw impressed with his performances in friendlies against the likes of Benfica and Bournemouth, leading Martin to describe his emergence as a “beautiful surprise”.
Still only 17 until later this July, the winger has again been spotted in training and could be involved again this pre-season.
Tyler Dibling involved in Southampton first-team training
The second player involved will be no surprise to Southampton fans who keep a keen eye on the academy.
Martin has seen fit to include Tyler Dibling in first-team training to start this summer, with the midfielder highly-rated within the club.
The 18-year-old managed nine goal contributions in 16 under-23 appearances last season and impressed for the senior side in FA Cup games against Walsall and Watford.
Dibling will be determined to do more than simply make up the numbers this summer and will be keen to show Martin he should be kept around the first-team for the club’s top flight return.
Dom Ballard in Southampton training after long-term injury
Perhaps most excitingly for Southampton fans is the fact 19-year-old striker Dom Ballard can be seen in the club’s training footage.
Ballard has already scored his first goal for the Saints senior side, netting in a Carabao Cup win over Cambridge United early in the 2022/23 season.
Last season, the young attacker was allowed to leave on loan in order to gain regular senior game time, joining Ruben Selles’ Reading in League One.
After a bright start in which Ballard scored three goals in ten league appearances, Ballard suffered a Patella injury that saw him out from November until the end of the season.
Whilst another loan may be deemed best for Ballard’s development, fans will be happy to see the academy talent recover from his long-term injury ready to join first-team training this summer.