Journalist Tom Barclay has confirmed that Tino Livramento agreed to join Southampton in the summer after being given assurances about the amount of game time he would receive.

Livramento made the bold decision to leave Chelsea during the off-season to move to the South Coast, and it has worked out very well for him so far.

How has Livramento fared at Southampton?

Despite being just 18 years of age, Livramento has looked at ease in the Premier League this season, starting all 10 of Southampton's top-flight matches to date.

He has helped the Saints keep four clean sheets this term, including in their latest outing as they picked up a 1-0 win at Watford. 

Furthermore, he has proven himself to be an attacking outlet for Ralph Hasenhuttl's men, winning a penalty against Chelsea last month, before scoring his first Premier League goal three weeks later at home to Burnley.

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What has Barclay said about Livramento?

Brighton and AC Milan also showed an interest in Livramento over the summer, but Barclay has claimed that Livramento chose Southampton as he believed he would play regularly.

Barclay has also revealed that Livramento was "surprised" and "impressed" that Hasenhuttl was present on the day that he signed his contract.

The Sun journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “Livramento said that it was mainly down to game time. He spoke about other ways that Southampton bowled him over. Interestingly, Ralph Hasenhuttl was there on the day that he signed, which Livramento flagged up, said he was surprised by that and was impressed.”

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Is Livramento Southampton's best signing of the summer?

Southampton brought in five players on permanent deals in the most recent transfer window, plus they added Armando Broja to their ranks on a season-long loan.

The club spent more money on three of their signings, including striker Adam Armstrong, but there can be little doubt that Livramento has been their standout transfer.

His lack of experience has not been an issue, and he seems to have a huge future ahead of him.

The fact that Hasenhuttl was there to see Livramento sign his contract suggests that the Austrian manager suspected that he had a major talent on his hands, and that has proved to be the case.

Given that he has still only played 10 Premier League matches in his fledgling career, it is scary to think how good Livramento could be as he develops his skillset over the coming years. 

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