TALENTED teenager Kamari Doyle has expressed his delight at penning his first professional contract with Saints.

As reported by the Echo earlier this month, the midfielder's pre-contract agreement officially kicked-in when the player turned 17 on August 1.

And now Saints have confirmed the news, with attacker having spent close to a decade coming through the ranks at the club.

The England youth international said of his pro deal: “It’s a very good moment. It’s definitely something I’ve looked forward to and tried to achieve my whole career.

“To do it at a Premier League club like Southampton is a dream come true.

“Ten years, Southampton have obviously developed me so much in that time and I just want to push on even more, follow the pathway of people like James Ward-Prowse from the academy all the way up to the first team.

“Knowing there’s players who’ve done that makes it realistic for me and getting to train with them at points and take little bits off of them is really good.

“I just enjoy every moment, ultimately football is what I want to do and I love doing so I enjoy it and there is pressure at times, but I try and take that off my shoulders as much as possible.”

Academy director Matt Hale added: “Kamari is an excellent talent, which is highlighted by his selection within the England setup over the last year.

“He’s played a lot of games for the B Team especially, with many of those appearances coming as a 16-year-old, but has coped extremely well and we’re confident of a really bright future for Kamari.”

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News