Despite sitting at bottom of the Premier League table, The Saints have had some spectacular players represent the club in recent times, who have gone on to reach great heights in their careers.
It is highly likely that Southampton would be in a completely different position if they had managed to hold on to these players.
I have built the best XI of past and present Southampton players, according to the rules as follows.
-
Criteria
1. Each player must still be playing professionally, so, therefore, no retired players will be included.
2. Each player has to have made a senior appearance for the club, therefore academy graduates who never represented the club at the senior level are not eligible for the side.
-
Extra Notes
This team is entirely based on the opinion of the writer, so there will obviously be some decisions which you will disagree with.
The team is based on the player's overall career and how they are currently performing, so this includes their time at Southampton but is not solely based on it.
The formation being used is a 4-3-3.
-
The line-up
Goalkeeper - Gavin Bazunu
Despite having a tough start to life at St. Mary's, Bazunu has shown signs of becoming an exceptional player. The Irish shot-stopper joined from Manchester City last summer following a successful loan spell at Portsmouth.
He has edged over the likes of Fraser Forster to claim his place in the net for this side. At the young age of 20, he is currently an important player for The Saints and will definitely play an integral part in the club for years to come.
Left-back - Luke Shaw
The first Southampton academy graduate on this list is Luke Shaw. After signing for Manchester United in 2014, Shaw has experienced some ups and downs in his career at Old Trafford. But, over the past few seasons, he has finally shown his capabilities on a consistent basis for club and country.
The 27-year-old is still playing for The Red Devils, and has arguably been the best left-back in the league so far this season.
Centre-back - Toby Aldeweireld
One half of the deadly duo at the heart of Southampton's defence is Toby Aldeweireld. At 33 years old, he is currently playing for Royal Antwerp in his native Belgium.
Alderweireld spent a season on loan at The Saints from Atletico Madrid before joining fellow English club Tottenham, where he enjoyed a successful spell in North London. Despite not winning any major trophies, he was an extremely reliable centre-half and formed a famous partnership with his international teammate Jan Vertongen at The Lilywhites.
Centre-back - Virgil Van Dijk
The player who takes the captain's armband of the team needs little introduction. The Dutch skipper became the most expensive defender in the history of football when Jurgen Klopp broke the bank to bring Van Dijk to Liverpool from Southampton in 2018.
Since then, he has performed at a level that very few defenders have reached in their careers; winning almost everything there is to win at club level. There is no doubt that Van Dijk has cemented his place in history as one of the greatest defenders of his generation, so he was an obvious choice to lead the side.
Right-back - Kyle Walker-Peters
Possibly the position that had the least amount of options in this list was right-back. This is no disrespect to Kyle Walker-Peters, however, who has stood out for Southampton since his arrival in 2020 from Tottenham. Tino Livramento would probably take this spot if he hadn't struggled with injuries over the past year.
Defensive midfield - Pierre-Emile Højbjerg
The Danish midfielder becomes the third player on this list to have represented both Southampton and Tottenham. Højbjerg is a hard footballer who is never scared of getting his hands dirty on the pitch. He has been a mainstay in the Tottenham midfield since leaving Southampton and had a remarkable run with Denmark in Euro 2020 where they managed to reach the semi-finals.
Central midfield - James Ward-Prowse
The current Saints skipper is the next player on our team sheet. Ward-Prowse has spent his entire professional career so far at his boyhood club, where he has proven himself as a top-quality midfielder. He is known for his remarkable set-piece ability but seems like his overall ability can go under the radar at times.
Central midfield - Adam Lallana
Lallana made 250 senior appearances for The Saints and scored 59 goals from midfield. In 2014 he left Southampton for Liverpool, where he won multiple trophies including the Champions League.
Although the 34-year-old has had his fair share of injuries, he has been key to his sides’ successes throughout his career. He currently is playing for Brighton under Roberto Di Zerbi, and has been at The Seagulls since 2020.
Right-wing - Dusan Tadic
It is quite easy to forget that the Serbian forward played in England. He spent four years at Southampton before moving to Ajax in 2018. Since then Tadic has enjoyed major success in the Dutch capital, including that famous Champion’s League campaign in the 2018/19 season. He is currently still playing for Ajax at the age of 34.
Centre-forward - Danny Ings
Danny Ings - a player who almost “carried” Southampton during his time at the club. A typical number nine with a poacher’s instinct is the perfect way to describe the 30-year-old forward. He left Southampton in a shock move to Aston Villa in 2021 and he has since transferred to West Ham in the January transfer window this season.
Left-wing - Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane’s rise to the top of football has been truly remarkable. He spent two seasons at St. Mary’s before switching to Anfield, where he became a world-class forward.
In 2022, he left Liverpool after six years at the club to begin a new chapter at Bayern Munich. An outstanding footballer on his day who consistently performed in England, he will go down as one of the greatest African footballers of all time.
-
Conclusion
By looking at this lineup, it is hard to believe that a club that has had so many stars wear its shirt is in the position that it currently is in.
It would be an interesting prediction to see where this combined XI of past and present players would finish in the Premier League table.
