Not content with unsettling Saints first team squad, Manchester United are being reported as being after one of Saints up and coming youngsters.

The mail online is reporting that Manchester United are about to launch an audacious bid for Saints youngster Jake Hesketh after finally coming to the conclusion that their own academy process is shot to pieces and ordering a complete overhaul in December.

But they realise they do not have enough time to start from the bottom and bring in promising 10 year olds, but need to pay big money for 17-19 year olds on the cusp of breaking into the first team set up of their current club.

Jake Hesketh has apparently been identified as one such player after United scouts have spent time watching him and other potential signings currently in the academy set up at Staplewood.

Hesketh who will turn 20 in March made his debut for Saints in December 2014 coming on as sub in the last 20 minutes of the home defeat to ironically his potential suitors Manchester United, a few days later he made his full debut at Burnley only to have to be taken off injured on the half hour mark.

This remains his only first team action so far for Saints but according to the Mail he is one of the academy players that Ronald Koeman feels is ready for first team action.

From a contractual point of view Hesketh still has 18 months left on his deal and even if he was to run down that contract Saints would still command a hefty development fee.

So the big questions are

1. Is this a genuine interest from Manchester United ?

2. If not is it Hesketh's agent putting the story in the press to try and up his client's profile with Ronald Koeman or indeed other club's

3. Could it be something more sinister and a member of the academy staff at St Mary's leaking it being frustrated at what they see as a lack of opportunity's for the youngsters this season.

Photo: Action Images

IWOZTHERE added 15:25 - Jan 11 It's about time we had some GOOD news to cheer up supporters, players and management alike.
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TimSaint added 15:59 - Jan 11 If he was any good, he would have made plenty of first team appearances by now. He is almost 20 and although different players mature at different ages, just look at JWP - not that much older and over 100 appearances for Saints - and he's not even that good !! Dream on, if anyone thinks Man U are interested in him. It is a another nothing stoy from the Mail, which says it all really and proves they still have an agenda with Saints.

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dirk_doone added 16:03 - Jan 11 What do the board's PR hope to achieve with this story? Is it supposed to force Koeman to play more players like Targett? He is our manager. He should be allowed to select who he wants. He's trying to manage a football team, not a shop window for the sale of Academy products.
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SaintJez added 09:31 - Jan 12 What's this got to do with the board?? Stop inventing conspiracies. Jake is a good young player who could do with some first team action to develop his game. He might not be premier league ready yet but would seem perfectly suited to a few months on loan in the championship to start to learn his trade in a truly competitive league. Am not sure why that hasn't happened for him yet.

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SaintBrock added 11:25 - Jan 12 I think the club should ride this one out, if and it is a whopping big IF and let our new manager have a look at all of them with fresh eyes and no prejudices first before we contemplate anything. Just a whisper but if we lose both games this week, RK will be gone by Monday evening.
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SaintJez added 12:06 - Jan 12 Lose both?!?! That has to be a bit pessimistic doesn't it? I'm concerned at what I see at saints but I strongly expect us to win 1 if not both games this week. Losing both would be full on crisis. Winning both may paper over a few cracks but it's what I expect us to do (or maybe 4 points).
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dirk_doone added 12:11 - Jan 12 What has it got to do with the board??? Everything. Who do you think released the story to the press? In the struggle currently going on between Koeman and the board, I'm firmly on Koeman's side. He got us to 7th last season and they should back him, not undermine him.
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SaintJez added 12:23 - Jan 12 ah come on.. the story could have got to the press from many different places or simply just made up. Koeman's comments in regard to the academy were out of order and generated unwarranted negative publicity for the club. He should shut up and starting fielding starting XIs with some sort of tactical logic that give us a chance of winning games.
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dirk_doone added 17:12 - Jan 12 Koeman has just been asked about the story at the press conference. His reply was very telling: "Speak to Les."
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