Photo: via SouthamptonFC
Southampton have announced academy graduate Sam McQueen has put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half-year deal keeping him at the club until 2021.
McQueen, 21, has emerged as a real positive point during the first half of Claude Puel’s maiden season at the club after impressing when called upon at left-back in the league and Europa League.
The 21-year-old made his debut for Southampton in February 2014 when he was given eight minutes towards the end of their 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Sunderland during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure.
However, McQueen would have to wait until this season before making his next appearance with Southampton after being loaned out to Southend during Ronald Koeman’s time at the club and the youngster has been rewarded with a long-term deal at the club.
“It feels really good, as you’d expect,” McQueen told Southampton’s official website. “I’m delighted to sign a new deal with the club, having been here for so long already.
“It has been years and years of hard work to get to this point. I’m happy to be out on the pitch playing games for the first team.
“The last couple of months have been amazing for me and this new contract really just rounds that off. Now it’s important that I keep working hard and make as much of an impression as I can.”
Puel has given McQueen a proper run in the first-team in the Europa League this season, where he has started three of their opening five group games. Only two Southampton players average more clearances per game in UEFA second tier competition this season than McQueen (4).
For more stats on Sam McQueen, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
