FOLLOWING confirmation of ex-Chelsea youth captain Dynel Simeu’s move to Saints on a three-year deal, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad have welcomed a talented local youngster with bags of potential.
Although he may not immediately go into the first team, the 19-year-old centre-back departed Chelsea looking for a clearer pathway into senior football and will find that in the depleted south-coast side.
In the 2020-21 Premier League season, eight Saints academy players aged 20 or below were given top-flight minutes and no doubt Southampton local Simeu, who'll go into the B team first, will have seen these opportunities.
Ex-academy graduate Olly Lancashire yesterday rejoined Saints to be a leader and offer guidance for the B team specifically, and will now work with the fellow centre-back on a daily basis - hopefully helping Simeu to reach peaks that perhaps Lancashire himself couldn't quite.
Unfortunately it’s time to say my goodbyes to @chelseafc
— Dynel Simeu (@dynel_simeu) July 26, 2021
I have spent 6 great years at the club. Grown from a young boy to a man. pic.twitter.com/8N2L33bfXb
The deal was initially reported by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on Wednesday, before being confirmed by the club today – although he’s not the only Chelsea youngster to exit this window.
Marc Guehi, 21-years-old and also a centre-back, was on loan at Swansea last season but completed a £20m transfer to Crystal Palace, while midfielder Lewis Bate, 18, has moved to Leeds, amongst others.
Saints have got their ex-Blues man too, though. Told through numbers, here’s a whistle-stop tour of Dynel Simeu’s football career.
19 – Dynel Simeu’s age.
13 – Simeu joined Chelsea’s academy at under-13 level, joining from Sunday league side Chamberlayne Athletic following a trial with local recruitment. Also born on March 13, 2002.
122 – Weeks since he signed his first professional contract.
14 – Simeu’s former SO postcode (SO14)
6 – England youth appearances, at under-17 and under-18 level. Simeu also captained the young Lions.
2 – Yaounde-born Simeu holds dual-nationality and is eligible for both his country of birth, Cameroon, and England. The youngster had both flags printed on his Puma boots.
66 – First team shirt number awarded to Simeu by Chelsea at the start of the 2019-20 season. Simeu was named on the bench for the Blues’ Champions League quarter final tie against Bayern Munich the same campaign.
25 – Appearances in Premier League 2 division one, the under-23’s most prestigious domestic division.
1 – Premier League 2 title medals hanging on the mantelpiece, after success with Chelsea’s development squad during the 2019-20 season.
19 - Simeu is an England under-19 international
3 - Three-year Saints deal signed by Simeu, keeping him at the club until 2024.
1.5 – Millions £ worth of fees Saints could reportedly end up paying after acquiring the youngster, although it is suggested much of that is clauses that may not necessarily be fulfilled.
185.4 – Simeu stands at 185.4cm, or 6 foot 1 inch tall.
0 – Appearances made for a senior side during his career so far.
22,500 – Amount of followers Simeu has on social media app, Instagram.
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