Adam Lallana secured a nostalgic Southampton return this summer, ten years after leaving the club for Liverpool in 2014.
Having risen through the Southampton youth ranks, Adam Lallana was a pivotal part of the side that won back-to-back promotions to go from League One to the Premier League between 2010 and 2012.
After captaining the side alongside helping the Saints become an established Premier League club, Lallana left St Mary’s in a £25 million deal to Liverpool.
There he won both the Premier League and Champions League in a six-year spell before spending the past four seasons at Brighton.
Now, at the twilight of his career aged 36, he has returned to the club at which he made his name to help in their bid to stay in the top flight.
However, Lallana was absent from the first friendly ahead of the new season against Eastleigh on Friday night and won’t feature against Bordeaux on Wednesday, with the player himself has now explaining why.
Adam Lallana provides injury update that will ease Southampton concerns
Lallana had been involved since the first day of pre-season having wrapped up his move to Southampton very early this summer.
Saints fans were supposed to get their first sighting of the returning attacking midfielder in the 7-1 win over Eastleigh as he was in line to start right up until kick-off.
However, after feeling muscle tightness in the warm-up, Lallana could be seen heading down the tunnel and was replaced at the last minute by Tyler Dibling who grasped his opportunity to impress.
- READ MORE: Russell Martin names two ‘supremely talented’ Southampton youngsters who could get first-team role
Lallana has now provided fans with an update on his fitness, with the fact he is part of the group that has travelled to Spain for the warm weather training camp a positive sign.
Lallana told the Daily Echo: “It was a blow [the injury], but I’m fine. I’ll be back training in a couple of days.”
Lallana likely to be a bit-part player for Southampton this season
Given his age, Lallana only signed a one-year deal at Southampton this summer having left Brighton for free at the end of his contract.
For a player who has had numerous injury troubles across his career it is perhaps a surprise that Lallana is still playing at the top level at 36, but he managed 30 games in all competitions for Brighton last season.
The 34-cap England international is keen to step into coaching once his playing career is over but should still have plenty to offer on the pitch; albeit he may not be able to start on a weekly basis.
Southampton need to sign an attacking midfielder that can carry most of the creative burden in the side, allowing Lallana to contribute as and when Russell Martin feels is right.
However, with his football intelligence and desire to help keep his boyhood club in the Premier League, Lallana should be a real asset for the Saints this season.