RALPH Hasenhuttl praises instant impact from substitute and new-signing Tino Livramento, saying: “He immediately showed that he is a fantastic young player.”
The 18-year-old right-wing-back was introduced at half-time and within seconds had won the ball back in midfield, drove the team forward and chipped a delightful pass into Theo Walcott to finish and halve the deficit.
Although Saints’ Spanish opponents, Athletic Bilbao, ran out 3-1 winners, Livramento impressed and almost set-up Michael Obafemi to score shortly after but for a good save denying him.
It was the former Chelsea youngster’s first minutes in a Saints shirt, in front of the St Mary’s faithful, and his performance has already got fans excited.
Clearly, at such a young age he is by no means a finished product and will have areas of his game to work on, but Austrian boss Hasenhuttl is pleased by the early signs.
Speaking after the match, he said: “Tino showed in the first minutes that he is a good lad who can help us, and with a few changes, adding more and more of the few what will be the first eleven next week (referring to his substitutions).
“He immediately showed that he is a fantastic young player, it is important that we have him, good, good to see.”
The result meant Saints couldn’t complete an unbeaten pre-season schedule, but will travel to Goodison Park next Saturday (August 14) to kick off their Premier League campaign.
A number of Saints players including but not limited to Jannik Vestergaard, James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams watched on from the stands, with Hasenhuttl hoping to reintroduce some to bolster his squad.
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