By Nnamdi Onyeagwara

23rd Aug, 2022 | 10:10pm

Southampton youngster Lewis Payne picks up assist on full debut

Southampton youngster Lewis Payne provided an assist on his full debut for the club in the Carabao Cup win against League One side Cambridge United on Tuesday night.

The 18-year-old has made over 60 appearances for the Saints’ youth teams, and his performances for the Under-18s and Under-21s teams earned himself a start in the League Cup tie.

It took only 16 minutes for the teenager to get the dream start to his Saints debut, breaking down the right flank and assisting Scottish striker Che Adams to put Southampton 1-0 up.

Brilliant start for Payne

It is a big moment for the teenager who worked his way up through the Southampton youth academy to get to this point.

The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract in November 2021, being described as an attack-minded defender by manager Dave Horseman. [Southampton]

This is evident in his youth career as in his 60 appearances for the Saints youth teams, he has scored five goals and provided five assists during that time.

The Saints have a long history of bringing through exciting young talents into stardom, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott both making names in the Southampton academy, just to name a few.

Payne will be looking to replicate the success of the Southampton youth graduates before him and make a name for himself in the men’s game.

An assist 16 minutes into your full debut is a great way to start, and hopefully, the teenage defender can build on this impressive debut.

In other Southampton news, the club are reportedly leading the race to sign Manchester United midfielder, James Garner.