Southampton: Still Shares First Impressions of Quarshie and Matsuki

Southampton: Still Shares First Impressions of Quarshie and Matsuki

 

Southampton manager Will Still has offered his early thoughts on summer recruit Joshua Quarshie and returning loanee Kuryu Matsuki, praising both youngsters as “interesting profiles” following the club’s opening stages of pre-season training.

 

Quarshie, who joined the Saints from German side TSG Hoffenheim earlier this summer, is already starting to turn heads at Staplewood with his physical presence and calmness on the ball. The 19-year-old centre-back, standing at 6’5”, is expected to bolster Southampton’s defensive depth as they prepare for life back in the Premier League.

 

Still, who is overseeing his first pre-season at Southampton, expressed satisfaction with what he’s seen so far from the Germany youth international.

 

“He’s a very composed player for his age,” Still said. “Josh has come in with the right attitude, and you can see he’s been well-coached in Germany. He reads the game well, he’s brave, and he’s not afraid to communicate, which is rare in a young centre-back.”

 

Meanwhile, Kuryu Matsuki has returned to the south coast after a promising loan spell at Dutch side FC Utrecht last season. The 21-year-old Japanese midfielder made 27 appearances in the Eredivisie, impressing with his energy, technical ability, and work rate in midfield. Having joined Southampton from FC Tokyo in 2023, Matsuki is now back with a point to prove.

 

Still was equally encouraged by what he has seen from Matsuki in training.

 

“Kuryu is a really exciting player,” said Still. “He’s dynamic, very intelligent with the ball, and has a great engine. You can tell he’s matured a lot during his time in the Netherlands, and he’s come back with real hunger to be part of what we’re building here.”

 

Both players featured in Southampton’s internal training match earlier this week and are expected to travel with the squad to their upcoming training camp in Austria. While neither are guaranteed first-team spots just yet, Still hinted that they’ll have every opportunity to fight for minutes during pre-season.

 

“We’ve got competition for places, which is exactly what we want,” Still added. “But we also have to give chances to players who show they can step up — and both Josh and Kuryu are putting their hands up early.”

 

Southampton, who are preparing for a return to the Premier League after winning the Championship play-offs last season, have placed emphasis on smart recruitment and youth development under the new Still regime. The early signs suggest that Quarshie and Matsuki could become important figures in the club’s evolving project.

 

Saints fans will get their first glimpse of the duo in match action when the team kicks off its pre-season fixtures later this month, with friendlies scheduled against Austrian side LASK and German outfit Augsburg.

 

As Still continues to mould his squad, the performances of young prospects like Quarshie and Matsuki could play a key role in shaping Southampton’s top-flight return.

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