Promoted to professional team in the 2016/17 season, the young winger Josh Sims showed in a few games that he has the quality and potential to grow and develop on the senior stage.
In the Premier League 2, he won the November PL2 Player of the Month award and earned seven senior Premier League appearances in his maiden season. Three of these came in the FA Cup, two in the EFL Cup and one in the Europa League. Sims scored six goals in total for the U23 Southampton side who were relegated from the PL2 top flight.
In his first professional match against Everton in the Premier League, he was one of the highlights of the game. He showed off his qualities throughout the game; speed, clever passing, tactical intelligence and provision for marking. He was extremely important in the 1-0 win, with the goal coming from Charlie Austin; assisted by Sims.
In his other game that deserves prominence with the professional squad, he started the match as a substitute – the second leg of the semi final in the EFL Cup tie against Liverpool.
After a 1-0 victory at St Mary’s with Nathan Redmond’s goal being the difference, Southampton needed a draw at least at Anfield to reach the final at Wembley. Sims replaced Nathan Redmond and in a counter attack, gave an assist to Shane Long to beat Loris Karius, putting The Saints back in a Wembley final after seven years.
One of the main merits of Claude Puel in the previous season was to promote young players to the first team; a fact that hardly occurred when Ronald Koeman was the coach.
With an extended contract until 2020, there are interesting questions: would it be better to keep him on the team or loan him out?
Analysing the current team, for the position of Sims we have two options as competitors: Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal. Manolo Gabbiadini, even though the Italian was signed to be a striker, can be used to play in a tactical scheme as a right or left winger. With Charlie Austin’s return, it would not be at all unimaginable to see the Italian as a winger.
A loan move would be a viable option in that regard. No club has officially expressed an interest in the winger, however a temporary move for consistent game time could be beneficial. The Championship has each season improved its level, developing young players and with balance between the teams, so that could be a good destination.
The last and perhaps the most likely possibility is whether Sims can continue in the Under-23 cast, with sporadic chances in the professional team. With the relegation to the second tier of PL2, it would not be interesting to keep a young international playing there.
Sims will have time to think about his situation and make the right decision for him and the club.
