Ralph Hasenhuttl believes Callum Slattery and several other Southampton youngsters can be like new signings this season and beyond.
Saints drew 1-1 at Burnley on Saturday afternoon, with a stoppage time penalty from Ashley Barnes robbing them of two precious points.
It was a still a solid result in the grand scheme of things, however, as Hasenhuttl’s side aim to pull clear of danger in the Premier League.
Slattery experienced a proud day at the office, completing his first-ever full 90 minutes for Saints.
The 19-year-old impressed at Turf Moor and someone who is clearly an admirer is Hasenhuttl.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, the Southampton manager said Slattery is like a new signing, as other youngsters can prove to be, too:
I know there were some voices that said ‘we don’t sign players in the transfer period’ but we played with a lot of young players and Callum Slattery had his first game in the Premier League.
We have a lot of new players signed from our own youth team and Slat is another one of the good young guys in our club.
Maybe we didn’t sign a new player but we have four or five young players who have made their first steps in professional football; players like Valery, Ramsay and Slattery.
They can be our future. Although we didn’t sign a new player, for me we have a different team now.
Slattery has been at Southampton since way back in 2008, when he joined from Chelsea at the age of just nine.
He has worked his way through the youth system at St Mary’s, also representing England as U16, U17 and U20 level along the way.
