Southampton are one of two clubs interested in signing Derby County midfielder Darren Robinson.
According to Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider, Saints are plotting a bid ahead of the January window alongside Premier League club Aston Villa.
It is said that both clubs are ‘long-term admirers’ of the 18-year-old, who has been named Derby County’s Scholar of the Year for the last two seasons after impressing for the Rams’ academy sides.
His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so Saints may be able to get him on the cheap.
Who is Darren Robinson?
Robinson is primarily a defensive midfielder, but is also versatile, being able to play at centre-back and right midfield.
He made his first start for the first team this season for the Rams on Wednesday night in their 4-1 victory over Wolves U21s in the EFL Trophy.
The Northern Ireland under-21 international played at centre back on the night on the right-hand side of a back three, and performed well, being described as ‘tidy’.
This potential signing is fitting with Saints’ transfer policy which is signing young players with a view to them playing in the first team in the future.
Saints have made a number of signings in the last year with this in mind, with the likes of Zach Awe and James McNamara joining from Arsenal and Manchester City respectively.
They have also made young signings for the first team too in Shea Charles and Carlos Alcaraz, who have both joined in the last year and have become regulars for the first team since their arrivals.
If Robinson were to join, he would more than likely link up with the under-21 side initially.