Cheltenham Town manager Michael Duff thinks talented centre-half Will Armitage will seal a move to Premier League outfit Southampton before the end of the January transfer window, via Gloucestershire Live.
Speaking at his Thursday lunchtime press conference, the Robins boss admitted that he expected to see Armitage complete his mid-season switch to the South Coast before the day was out.
24 hours later, the teenage defender still isn’t a Southampton player.
Though, while Duff’s timing was a little off, Armitage is almost certain to swap the Jonny Rocks Stadium for St Mary’s at some point before Monday’s 11pm deadline.
According to Gloucestershire Live, Southampton have had a six-figure bid accepted.
The youngest player in Cheltenham’s 135-year history, Armitage is an elegant, ball-playing centre-half blessed with the sort of composure and maturity usually associated with far older players.
In many ways, he is a typical Southampton signing; Young, technically-gifted and brimming with potential.
When will Will Armitage sign for Southampton?
“Will went down to meet them (Southampton) on Wednesday to go through the personal terms,” says Duff, the former Burnley defender.
“The clubs have agreed, he’s gone down to have a look so it should go through in the next couple of days.
“It’s a good opportunity at a Premier League club with a Category One academy. They have produced a lot of players, probably not so much in recent years, but in the past.
“It’s been great since he came in pre-season. We liked him immediately. He’s given himself the opportunity to go to a good club, but that’s all it is.
“He is a long way off being a footballer yet, but he knows that himself.”
With Premier League clubs unable to sign players under the age of 18 from players based in mainland Europe in the post-Brexit era, homegrown talents like Armitage are likely to be in high demand in the coming months and years.
James Hill, another up-and-coming, third-tier talent swapped Fleetwood Town for Bournemouth recently despite interest from Leeds, Rangers and, again, Southampton.
The Saints are also in talks to sign Chelsea’s Faustino Anjorin. Highly-rated defender Federico Gatti is another name on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s hitlist.
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