Southampton are one of a number of clubs interested in signing a young talent who has proven to be prolific at youth level.
The focus for Russell Martin this summer is building a squad capable of keeping Southampton in the Premier League.
However, behind the scenes the club are always looking to sign young talented players who they hope can make an impact in the first-team in the future or potentially even turn a big profit on in years to come.
This is now a tried and tested strategy at the Saints, with the huge profits made on both Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento last summer the blueprint.
Now, it looks as though Southampton are keen on repeating the trick with a move for an 18-year-old forward who has been impressing at youth level.
Southampton ‘hopeful of signing’ Ajay Matthews
Southampton are a club famed for their academy, with the likes of Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott all famous graduates.
However, rather than benefit from their own academy, Southampton have turned their attention to cherry picking talents from other academies by providing a pathway to senior first-team football.
It looks as if they could now do the same for 18-year-old Middlesbrough striker Ajay Matthews.
According to The Secret Scout on ‘X’: ‘Middlesbrough’s 18-year-old striker Ajay Matthews is set to leave this summer.
Some of the clubs that have held discussions and hopeful of signing him include: Celtic Rangers Southampton Brighton Brentford Newcastle.
16 goals in 17 starts this season for the youth team’.
Can Southampton provide Matthews with opportunities?
Matthews has shown at youth level he knows where the goal is and made his senior Middlesbrough debut with a four-minute cameo in a 4-3 defeat to Leeds United in April.
The England under-18 international followed that up with seven minutes against Cardiff the following game but those two appearances are his only minutes at senior level.
Southampton are likely to be an attractive option for Matthews given the club’s history of developing young talents, but it is unlikely he will be integrated into the first team just yet if he does sign.
With Southampton returning to the Premier League there are not likely to be any times when Martin can risk throwing in an 18-year-old.
However, playing regularly for the club’s under-23 side could help Matthews hone his craft ready to try and break into the Saints side in the not too distant future.