Southampton have waved goodbye to a wide array of youngsters over the years before they blossomed fully into top-class senior talents.
It's amazing to think that Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale, and Theo Walcott all came through the Saints academy, with the trio held in high regard when looking over some of the finest attackers the Premier League has had in recent times.
In particular, Shearer is seen as the cream of the crop, with a blistering 206 goals put away for Newcastle United, helping him to become the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer, despite only bagging 38 efforts on the South Coast.
Another promising youngster who has spread his wings away from St Mary's in recent times is Jimmy-Jay Morgan, who will be aiming for a career at the very top like Shearer, with the 20-year-old walking away from the Saints in 2023 to link up with the illustrious Chelsea academy, and he hasn't looked back.
Jay-Morgan on the move
Morgan left Southampton on bad terms three years ago, with the starlet refusing to put pen to paper on an extension at the South Coast club.
Chelsea would swoop in to take advantage, with the Blues forking out a whopping £6m to land the then teenage sensation, after he had powered home 14 goals for both the U18s and U21s at the Saints.
Up to 21 goals for the Chelsea U21s now, it's clear that the two-time England U20 international has a bright future in the beautiful game, and last season, he finally began to cut his teeth in the senior game with Peterborough United out on loan.
The tireless attacker would switch between attacking midfield duties and striker duties for the Posh, and despite League One being known as an attritional and demanding division, the Poole-born forward would collect 14 goals and four assists from 39 games.
🪄 Magic from Morgan#pufc pic.twitter.com/yUp9tDuHbn
— Peterborough United (@theposh) February 11, 2026
In the words of his Peterborough boss, Luke Williams, Morgan has all the attributes to be a "top player."
But, with no gametime forthcoming at Chelsea anytime soon under Xabi Alonso, he has decided to leave Cobham behind for a permanent EFL adventure with West Bromwich Albion, who reside in the Championship, a league above his ex-loan club.
£4m is the touted price tag, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, with the very real reality on the horizon that the ex-Saints academy prodigy could come back to bite his former employers when Championship action returns.
He could come back to bite the Saints
Ultimately, Southampton had its hands tied when giving up Morgan to Chelsea, as it's clear that the teenage striker had his heart set on joining the Blues.
Still, that doesn't mean Tonda Eckert's men can't be plagued by some regret that they didn't try harder to keep their homegrown ace around, as after a 14-goal season in League One last season, he will be raring to go next campaign to prove himself as a Championship-calibre asset.
He will especially crave a goal against the Saints to stick the dagger in, with Darren Ferguson's words - who also managed him at Posh - that he is an "aggressive" forward presence, meaning he should be able to acclimatise to the strenuous demands of the second tier.
Southampton have become used to the agony of losing one of their own so early into their career, so this isn't a unique feeling.
Yet, it will be a pain that is hard to cover up if Morgan were to score against the Saints next season, for a side who could well be a promotion rival that Eckert and Co have to tussle with.
Southampton could also do with a striker that has the energy Morgan possesses in spades, with Ross Stewart failing to agree a contract to stay.
Add us as a preferred source on Google