Southampton have signed 16-year-old Harris Afzal from Queen's Park. The attacking left-back has an exceptionally high ceiling and could eventually follow in the footsteps of former Saint Ryan Bertrand.
Ryan Bertrand arrived at Southampton in 2014 and quickly became one of the club’s most reliable performers.
Signed from Chelsea, he brought pace and quality to the left side, and he rarely let his standards drop. He was gifted technically, quick defensively, and he understood the game at a high level. The Saints had signed an England international in his prime.
Bertrand played under four different managers
Bertrand became a key figure in some very good Southampton sides. He played under Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino and Ralph Hasenhüttl. Through changes in style and management, he remained important because consistency is always valuable.
He was part of teams that challenged near the top end of the Premier League and qualified for Europe. He also helped Saints reach the 2017 EFL Cup Final. In stronger seasons and more difficult ones, he was usually one of the first names on the teamsheet.
At his best, Bertrand offered balance. He was great in one-on-one situations, and he could get forward at the right time. His delivery from wide areas was often underrated, and his calmness helped those around him.
Bertrand made more than 240 appearances for Southampton before leaving in 2021.
He gave the club seven years of dependable service and high-level Premier League quality. That should not be forgotten.
Could Afzal be the next Ryan Bertrand?
Sufianu Sillah Dibaga’s rise has been another positive outcome in a spectacular season for the Southampton academy. Having been rewarded with an improved professional contract, Sillah Dibaga's place in the academy is now up for grabs.
Saints have agreed a fee with Queen’s Park for 16-year-old Harris Afzal. The attacking left-back looks ready to continue his development at St Mary's, and his ceiling is very high.
Afzal has impressed, coming through the ranks at Queen’s Park. Both Rangers and Celtic were watching him, and several English clubs were circling. Southampton have chosen to steal a march.
He was given permission to visit and trial at St Mary’s weeks ago. That visit clearly left an impression, and Saints worked hard to finalise terms quickly because they wanted him embedded in their academy structure without delay.
Saints look north for the next success story
Southampton have a history of looking north of the border. They have struck gold before with players such as Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, Victor Wanyama and Stuart Armstrong.
Saints believe there is value and quality in young Scottish talent. They tried to bring in Rory Whittaker from Hibs last summer.
Queen’s Park has a respected youth set-up, although recent cutbacks have hurt the club. That may have opened the door here.
Afzal is an attacking left-back. He is brave going forward and comfortable in possession. Those traits fit the modern Saints blueprint and will remind Saints fans of Bertrand when he was at the club.
It may be a little too early to call Harris Afzal the new Ryan Bertrand. Only time will tell.
The Southampton website shared the player's reasoning behind joining the Saints.
"When I came down I thought it was a really good atmosphere, I liked all the lads and the coaches and I thought it was a really good set-up. I feel like that's where I can see myself progressing."
Director of Group Talent Strategy, Andy Goldie, added "Harris has consistently demonstrated a number of qualities that we believe will enhance our Under-18s squad next season, and also provide him with a platform to continue his development when he joins us in the summer.
"His trajectory in recent seasons has been impressive at Queens Park as he's featured around their First Team squad and subsequently attracted a lot of interest, so we're excited to welcome him and support his continued progress at Staplewood."
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