Southampton forward Tyreke Johnson has officially completed a loan move to join Hartford Athletic on loan.
The club have confirmed that the winger will be with the USL Championship side until the end of December, with their campaign due to begin in March.
Hartford are managed by former Southampton under-23 coach Radhi Jaidi, who worked with Johnson on the south coast.
This loan move does not bode well for Johnson’s future at St. Mary’s. His current contract expires in the summer of 2021, meaning that he will have just six months left on his deal by the time he returns from America.
He will be competing in the second tier of football in the USA, suggesting that it is not a particularly high level in comparison to English football. This comes after he spent the first portion of this season on loan to National League side Woking, where he managed just two goals in 12 appearances.
After failing to impress in the fifth tier of English football and now heading out to America, the future does not seem bright for Johnson in terms of his Southampton career. He is only a year younger than Moussa Djenepo, who has produced two goals and two assists for Southampton in the Premier League this season whilst playing in Johnson’s position.
This suggests that Johnson could need to improve a considerable amount between now and December to be in contention for a place in the first-team squad at St. Mary’s. If he does make the move, it could be wise for Southampton to cash in on him in January rather than letting him go on a free six months later.
