Chris Mepham has had a breakthrough season for Brentford.

The Welsh international fits the profile of Southampton perfectly and could help stabilise the club depending on whatever situation they find themselves in next season as they are currently in the relegation spots.

They have an uncertain future ahead of them due to their current league position, but they still need to think about the long-term.

Their academy pathway to the first-team has been exhausted due to big clubs raiding them every season, so they need to start looking externally to find promising young talents while they continue to develop players at the academy.

Mepham fits that perfectly because he has high potential and has already played 18 games in the Championship. At 20-years-old, he has a promising future ahead of him and could be sold on for a high price if a bigger team comes in for him.

He averages just under 52 passes per game with an average pass success percentage of 79.8. Therefore, he would suit their style and could help them bring back their identity which brought them such success in past seasons after they found their way back into the Premier League.

Southampton's centre-back options aren't the strongest currently with Maya Yoshida being the top performer above Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens, according to WhoScored.

There is definitely a place in the team for Mepham even if it's just for squad rotation at the beginning. As can be seen in the graphic above, Mepham is more than capable in the traditional defensive areas, so he would be an excellent long-term acquisition for the club.