Having broken into the first team in recent seasons, young Southampton midfielder Harrison Reed is reaching the stage of his career in which a full season of first team competitive football is necessary to his development, and a loan move could be on the cards this summer.

Reed has made 17 appearances over four years in the first team at St Mary’s, and has shown excellent promise and potential in his performances for his boyhood club.

Spending a year in the Championship honing his skills and realising his potential could help Reed evolve into a first team starter, and Cardiff boss Neil Warnock should look to take advantage of the situation by bringing the player to south Wales.

The Cardiff midfield is in need of a patch up this summer having allowed the long serving Peter Whittingham to join Blackburn on a free transfer, and adding Reed to the mix would add serious depth and quality in the middle of the park.

Cardiff need a little more bite and emphasis if they are to improve on their uninspiring mid table finish, and with Warnock dreaming of leading the Welsh side back to the Premier League, something must change ahead of the new season.

That change could be the injection of youthful quality, and Reed fits the bill perfectly.

Young, talented, and in need of first team action, Cardiff should enquire the availability of Reed and give Southampton assurances that they can aid Reed’s development into a star.