Adam Lallana secured a nostalgic return to Southampton this summer, ten years after leaving the club for Liverpool.
Adam Lallana came through the ranks at Southampton before playing a key role in the club’s double promotion from League One to the Premier League between 2010 and 2012.
The silky midfielder then captained the side as the Saints became an established Premier League club, with his performances earning England recognition before a £25 million move to Liverpool aged 26.
Whilst no fan wants to see a player so important leave the club, it is difficult to argue Lallana’s decision was not vindicated by the fact he won both the Premier League and Champions League in his time at Anfield.
Now, a decade later, Lallana is a Saint once more having joined for free following the end of his Brighton contract this summer.
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Matt Le Tissier reveals Adam Lallana Southampton ‘secret’
Now 36, Lallana is very much at the twilight of his career but was signed by Russell Martin to provide experience as well as quality.
Lallana was spotted at the Championship play-off final in which Southampton beat Leeds United 1-0 to secure Premier League promotion, sat alongside Matt Le Tissier.
This was an image that excited Southampton fans, seeing their best player of all time watching their play-off triumph alongside Lallana; who was already being tipped for a St Mary’s return.
However, Le Tissier has now revealed that Lallana knew even then that he would be a Saint for the 2024/25 season.
Le Tissier was a guest on the World Class Stamp podcast where he was asked about the moment cameras caught him sat alongside Lallana and asked if there was any tapping up of the player during the game.
Le Tissier responded: “Well, that day he already knew he was coming back.”
Southampton’s record Premier League goalscorer went on to say: “He came into the hospitality and was actually sat on my table and I said ‘mate, what are you doing?’.
“I said ‘you’ve been released, haven’t you?’ and he kind of looked at me a bit sheepishly and he went ‘I’m coming back but I can’t tell anyone’ – as there was no medical done at that point – so i was like ‘okay your secret is safe with me.”
Lallana yet to make second Southampton debut
Lallana made 265 appearances for Southampton in his first spell at the club, scoring 60 goals and providing 45 assists.
Frustratingly, though, fans are yet to see their former captain don the famous red and white stripes for the second time as the veteran is yet to feature this pre-season.
Lallana was in line to start the first friendly of the summer against Eastleigh last month but pulled out of the game shortly before kick-off after complaints of muscle tightness.
Seemingly a fairly minor issue, it has been a surprise that the attacking midfielder has not featured in any of the following four fixtures this summer.
With two home friendlies before the season kicks off – against Lazio on Wednesday and Getafe on Saturday – Southampton fans will be desperate to see Lallana back at St Mary’s as soon as possible.