Southampton’s £3.5m physical upgrade could be a game-changer for Will Still.

One of the highlights of pre-season is the chance to see new signings up close and assess their abilities.

When Joshua Quarshie took the pitch for Southampton’s first pre-season friendly at Eastleigh on Saturday, his value to the team was immediately apparent.

Joshua Quarshie could be a very astute signing for just £3.5 million. Despite being only 20 years old, he stands six feet and five inches tall. He is both strong and quick. Last season, he set the Bundesliga Two speed record, clocking 37kmph.

These are assets that the Southampton defence has lacked for some time, and they will allow Still’s men to play a high defensive line, which they were unable to do in the Premier League last season.

Quarshie is Southampton’s tallest defender

Prior to Quarshie’s arrival, Southampton’s tallest defender was German international Armel Bella-Kotchap, who wanted to leave.

Quarshie outperforms last season’s defensive trio of Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

On Saturday, Saints fans caught a glimpse of Quarshie’s pace. At halftime, Still rotated his squad, and Quarshie lined up next to Nathan Wood in the centre of defence.

Yukinara Sugawara and Welington came in as right and left backs, respectively. Although Quarshie’s first touch resulted in a miss-kick clearance, he made so little contact that he was able to correct the situation.

His key contribution to the game was winning a footrace against Eastleigh’s pacy winger Tyrese Shade. To say he won the race easily is perhaps an exaggeration. However, it was clear that the German-Ghanaian possessed plenty of speed in reserve.

Quarshie will face stiff competition for a place in the first-team

Quarshie will face stiff competition for a place in his manager’s Southampton starting eleven, despite Still telling reporters at Eastleigh on Saturday that “if you are good enough, you will play” and “it doesn’t matter how young you are”.

Jack Stephens, the Saints’ club captain, and Polish international Jan Bednarek are the front-runners to start against Wrexham at St Mary’s on August 9.

Bednarek is reportedly linked with a move to Turkey, and Harwood-Bellis is unlikely to be match-fit by then, so a spot could be open. Southampton’s young French under-18 international, Joachim Kayi-Sanda, may also have something to say about it.

Kayi-Sanda started the Saints’ final match of last season, against Arsenal, and performed admirably. Kayi-Sanda was put to the test physically on Saturday at Eastleigh by Paul McCullum, the club’s experienced centre forward.

Ronnie Edwards is another young player who stands in the way of Quarshie making the first team.

Edwards took an extended break after being on international duty with European under-21 champions England and did not play over the weekend. Whether Quarshie has to wait or not, he is a significant physical upgrade over last season’s defence. He is undoubtedly regarded as a long-term asset, and fans hope he will become a defensive mainstay.

Quarshie’s experience in Germany, where he played in front of large crowds at Fortuna Düsseldorf, will help him settle in faster than expected.

Critics may argue that playing Quarshie too soon is risky and that he will need time to adjust to the demands of English football, particularly the EFL Championship. Quarshie may be young, but he could be good enough already.

Perhaps Still had Quarshie in mind when he spoke to reporters in Eastleigh on Saturday. Whatever the future holds for the young German, he is a significant physical upgrade on the Southampton squad’s current roster and a sign of Johannes Spors and Still’s recruitment strategy.

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