The perennial aura and knack of giving promising youngsters the pedestal needed to maraud forward in the game of football is something which Southampton are renowned for. Time and again, the Saints have promoted the youngsters by giving them a word of confidence and giving them minutes under their belt and more often than not, they have gone on to become the hottest properties in the business.
Jack Stephens is one of their latest prospective stars to have erupted to the scene this season after a wait of five years. Signed from Plymouth Argyle in 2011, the 23-year-old finally got the opportunity to pave his way into the starting IX. After getting odd appearances since the turn of the New Year, he is cementing his spot in the starting line-up of Claude Puel owing to the exit of Jose Fonte in the January transfer window and is doing a commendable job.
Stephens has been a starlet who is simply outstanding in dealing with the aerial threats. He has been developing week in and week out with his exemplary work ethic and that is what makes him such an ideal candidate for being used as a player around whom the backline could be structured. Slowly but surely, he has been getting into the scheme of things in the Premier League, bagging experience under his belly and has been delighting Puel with what he has been showcasing for his side.
Versatility is one of the most sought after trait in a youngster and Stephens doesn’t let his team down in this aspect as well, for he has the calibre to ply his trade at the centre-back as well as the right-back slot. He has the requisite technical edge, deals with threats from the set-pieces in a shrewd manner and his stronghold over the ball is intriguing to watch. Further, he barely loses possession and has an excellent eye for passes which make him a worthy player to lead the defensive setup.
Considering the apparent interest of European heavyweights to lure Virgil van Dijk in the summer, Stephens could very well be Puel’s defensive impetus at the back. He reads the game pretty well and breaks the attacking endeavours of the opponents in a befitting manner and no wonder why he is already so highly rated amongst the football fraternity. He could be a regular first-team prospect next season and grow more by getting regular appearances for the Saints.
