Southampton have had their fair share of success stories when buying young talented players before reaping the rewards.
Southampton are famed for their academy but in recent years their strategy of buying young talents from elite academies by providing a first-team pathway has proved more fruitful.
The likes of Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento are prime examples of this approach in action, with Lavia signed from Manchester City and Livramento from Chelsea.
Both players excelled in their first seasons at the club and both were sold last summer after Southampton were relegated from the Premier League.
Lavia was sold to Chelsea for £58 million whilst Livramento secured a £40 million move to Newcastle United despite spending almost the entirety of his second season out injured.
However, investing in potential is by no means foolproof and the latest move of a player signed at the same time as Livrameto is proof of that.
Former Southampton gem Dynel Simeu signs for Albanian club
Southampton performed a double raid on Chelsea in summer 2021, signing centre-back Dynel Simeu alongside Livramento.
Armando Broja also spent the 2021/22 season on loan at St Mary’s from Chelsea as the Saints looked to capitalise on their ability to provide first-team opportunities to top young prospects.
In Southampton’s official announcement when they signed Simeu, the club described the 19-year-old as ‘one of the brightest talents’ in Chelsea’s Academy.
However, Simeu never made a first-team appearance for Southampton despite making the squad on multiple occasions in his first season at the club.
The defender spent time on loan at Carlisle United, Tranmere Rovers and Morecambe before eventually being released by Southampton this summer.
Few could have predicted Simeu’s next move, though, as he has now moved to Albania to continue his career.
A report by the News & Star, which centres on Simeu’s time at Carlisle, states: ‘The defender, who also had spells on loan from the Saints to Tranmere Rovers and most recently Morecambe, will now play his football for KF Teuta in the Albanian top flight, Kategoria Superiore, in the port city of Durres.
KF Teuta are currently ninth in the Albanian top tier after three games having won one and lost two of their opening games’.
Simeu will go down as failed potential at Southampton
When Simeu signed for Southampton he was considered a player at a similar level to Livramento.
However, whilst Livramento shocked everyone by forcing his way into the side straightaway, Simeu struggled.
It is more difficult for a young centre-back to earn the trust to play senior football, with it being a position in which players tend to break through a little later than their peers.
Simeu impressed out on loan, particularly at Carlisle, but still only 22 will be hoping to revive his career in Albania.