WILL FERRY - Southampton's young Irish star, who is destined for a career at the top.
It seems to have gone under the radar that an Irish underage international was on the bench for an FA Cup semi-final last week.
While Aaron Connolly, Troy Parrott and Adam Idah are rightfully being hyped up because of their performances, there are plenty of other young Irish players deserving of your attention.
Will Ferry is one of them.
Eagle-eyed Irish football fans will notice his name on the bench for Southampton quite often, which is impressive enough as it is.
When you look at those who have broken through at Southampton over the past 10 years or so (Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, James Ward-Prowse), you see why it's one of the best places for a young footballer to be.
He is there with Will Smallbone and Michael Obafemi, two other young Irish talents who are slightly ahead of Ferry in his journey.
All three of these lads are highly rated, and while Ferry hasn't exactly got the chance just yet, when he does, he will be ready to take it.
From an early age, Ferry was a level above the other kids. According to those closes to him, when he watched football as a child, he really watched it. He wasn't just hoping to see goals, he was gaining an understanding of the game.
A big Manchester City fan, Will idolised Gareth Barry, and admired his intelligence on the pitch. Then it was Samir Nasri, and then David Silva. The sign of an intelligent footballer, you'd have to say.
He has recently enjoyed some time in a different position for Southampton's B side, moving back to the left back/left wing back role. His energy and determination fit the role perfectly, while his attacking prowess and creativity offer a whole different dimension going forward.
While he hasn't got his chance in the first team yet, there are no plans for him to go on loan just yet, which bodes well for him. At just 20 years of age a stint in the Championship or League One may not be the worst idea, but so long as he is on the bench for Southampton, it's as close to Premier League football as you can get.
He himself is confident that he can be a Premier League footballer either in a defensive or offensive position, so a natural left footer with flexibility, adds to his appeal.
Adam Idah and Will Ferry's goals that gave Ireland U19 an impressive 2-1 win over Netherlands in Longford this afternoon! #COYBIG #IRLU19 pic.twitter.com/EBxRzGKtQv
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) October 16, 2018
Just last week, he made the bench for the FA Cup semi-final loss to Leicester at Wembley.
On the same day, his father received a Facebook memory reminder of a photograph they took 10 years previously - outside Wembley.
It was from a FA Cup semi-final game between Manchester City and United in 2011, of Will and his sister on the way into the iconic stadium. A sign of how far he has come already, and he's still getting started.
Make sure to check back tomorrow for a new player profile!
