OXFORD United welcome Premier League side Southampton to Grenoble Road in pre-season tomorrow evening, with both sides gearing up for a season after promotion in the play-offs.
United beat Bolton Wanderers in the Sky Bet League One play-off final, while the Saints overcame Leeds United 1-0 in the Championship showcase.
We picked out six Saints players to keep an eye on tomorrow night.
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Jan Bednarek
The 28-year-old Poland international centre half joined the Saints for a reported £5 million back in July 2017, and has been a key player virtually ever since.
In total, he’s played 220 games for the club, and bagged nine goals, including a winner at home to Arsenal in a 1-0 victory in April 2022.
Last season, Bednarek made 47 appearances in all competitions, and then represented his country at Euro 2024.
That saw him earn an extended break, but he featured for the Saints during their pre-season trip to Spain.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
The 22-year-old Manchester City academy graduate made a big impression on loan with the Saints last season, and made 46 appearances in all competitions.
Promotion to the Premier League activated a clause in the loan which saw the Saints spend £20 million to secure the centre back’s services from City on a permanent basis.
Joe Aribo
Former Rangers midfielder Aribo moved to the Saints from Ibrox in July 2022, and has gone on to feature 67 times.
The Nigeria international played 40 times last season, while helping his country to the Africa Cup of Nations final, where they were beaten 2-1 by Ivory Coast.
Adam Lallana
Arguably the Saints’ biggest household name, the 36-year-old playmaker has enjoyed an illustrious career.
He emerged through the Southampton academy, going on to score 60 goals in 265 games, before joining Liverpool for £25m in July 2014.
Lallana spent six years with the Reds, winning the Premier League and Champions League. A four-year stint with Brighton & Hove Albion came to an end this summer, and he rejoined the Saints last month.
He scored three times in 34 caps for England between 2013 and 2018.
Will Smallbone
A Saints academy graduate, the 24-year-old central midfielder made his first team debut in January 2020, and has gone on to score eight times in 70 matches.
He spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Stoke City, and returned in style last season, making 50 appearances.
Smallbone, who has nine caps for the Republic of Ireland, assisted Adam Armstrong for the winner against Leeds in the Championship play-off final.
Adam Armstong
That leads us nicely to our final player to watch, in 27-year-old striker Armstong.
He joined Blackburn Rovers from Newcastle United in August 2018, and smashed 55 goals in 139 matches, before switching to the Saints in August 2021 for £15m.
The goals flowed last season, with 24 scored in 52 games. Those strikes included a brace against West Bromwich Albion during the play-off semi-finals, and the winner in the final.
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