Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has said that Saints will have a squad capable of the Premier League in a year or two’s time.
Saints have one of the youngest squads in the Championship, with plenty of their key players being highly-rated youngsters such as Bazunu, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Carlos Alcaraz.
They also have a manager in Russell Martin who is known for developing young players in a possession-based system, such as Harry Darling and Matt O’Riley.
Bazunu on Southampton squad
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Bazunu said that he believes that Saints current players would make up a squad capable of playing at Premier League level in a year or two’s time.
“We started off OK, then hit a bumpy patch but we’re OK now. We’re unbeaten in eight games. It’s important to keep the momentum going.
“With the age of the players we have, hopefully in the next two or three years we will have a lot more playing in the top flight.
“It’s going to be tough but the only thing we have on our side is the age of our players, they will hopefully be at a stage in the next year or two that we are all at our peak, and are getting those results that we need,” Bazunu added.
Can Saints get promoted this season?
Bazunu is right in saying that they did have a mixed start, but have appeared to sort that mixed run of form.
Their current eight-game unbeaten run has left Saints in fourth position in the second tier, comfortably in a playoff spot.
But it remains to be seen as to whether they can keep up this momentum and even push for a place in the top two, as they are still eight points adrift from Ipswich Town in second position.
But with players such as Adam Armstrong, Sulemana, Bazunu and Flynn Downes all shining this season, there is nothing stopping Saints from achieving automatic promotion and going straight back up at the first time of asking.