Southampton have officially announced the signing of 18-year-old French prodigy Joachim Kayi Sanda from Valenciennes.
Recently, Southampton completed their first January signing by bringing Brazil U23 defender Wellington. Now, the Saints have made it two by securing the signature of 18-year-old young prodigy Joachim Kayi Sanda from Valenciennes.
Kayi Sanda is a promising centre-back, who has already captained the France youth teams at various age groups. Known for his composure on the ball and impressive defending, Kayi Sanda has displayed leadership qualities well beyond his years.
Yesterday, the youngster signed a long-term contract with Southampton, keeping him at St Mary’s until June 2029.
Southampton bring 18-year-old prodigy as second January signing
Expressing his excitement on the move, Kayi Sanda spoke to Southampton's website saying, “I’m really happy to be here. I think this is a great city and a great club. I’ve been given a very warm welcome and I’m proud to represent this club.”
Furthermore, Kayi Sanda spoke about his dream to play for Southampton. He has revealed his admiration of Southampton’s youth academy which will help him to become an integral part of the Saints defence in the upcoming years.
Continuing, Kayi Sanda said: ”I hadn’t planned for it to come so quickly but it was in the back of my mind as a career goal and I’ve managed to achieve it early on. The club’s DNA in terms of improving young players and everything about the project convinced me to come here.”
While Southampton view Kayi Sanda as a player for the future, the club’s defensive strategy could see a shift in the coming weeks. Manager Ivan Juric recently revealed that the Saints will decide their January transfer approach in the coming days, hinting at potential changes in the backline.
A significant defensive overhaul may accelerate Kayi Sanda’s integration into the first team sooner than expected. Adding to Southampton's defensive uncertainties, versatile fullback Kyle Walker-Peters faces an unclear future, with the Saints open to his potential January departure.
As Southampton battles to strengthen their squad, it remains to be seen how many more reinforcements are done before the transfer window closes.