Will Smallbone wants to nail down a regular starting spot at Southampton this coming season.
The Ireland Under-21 ace has featured in the Saints’ pre-season games against RB Leipzig and SK Klagenfurt, and is expected to get some more game-time when they host Monaco and Villarreal next week.
His performances so far this summer - both in the games and during the club’s Austrian training camp - have caught the attention of fans and of manager Ralph Hassenhuttl.
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And Smallbone hopes he does enough to nail down first-team football - either at St Mary’s or elsewhere on loan.
The attacking midfielder was the star of Ireland’s march in June to the Under-21 European Championship play-offs, with three goals in two games against Bosnia and Montenegro.
He said: “I think I had a good summer with Ireland and I’ve tried to carry that into this pre-season, and so far I think I have.
“It’s been really good, the training has been fantastic and two good tests that we’ve had.”
As for his ambitions, the 22-year-old told Hampshire Live: “The first team is always going to be the aim for me.
“When you come through the academy, your aim is always to first get into the first team and then to nail yourself down as a starter.
“I think I’ve been misfortunate with injuries and without them, I think I maybe could have been a bit closer than I am now.
“But I'm just trying my best to keep going and try and get as close as I can.”
Whether his best chance of first-team football comes from a loan move remains to be seen.
“We'll see what happens,” said the player, who has already clocked up 16 Premier League appearances and 20 first-team matches in total.
“I think it's no surprise to anyone that obviously minutes are most important to me this season.
“But I think at the moment I'm just enjoying pre-season and trying to give the best account of myself as I can and then we'll see what happens.
“Whatever chances I get given I can't do more than just try to do my best and try and give the manager something to think about going into the season.
“So whatever chance I get, I'll try to make sure I do that.”
Smallbone was outstanding for Jim Crawford’s Under-21s last month in his role on the right-hand-side of attack.
However, his versatility will offer club boss Hassenhuttl plenty of options.
“The manager just wants me to go out there and express myself,” he said.
“It’s a position that suits me a bit better than either a six or a ten.
“Playing as an eight gives me a bit of a free role and he's just been telling me to go out there and try and create things.”
Smallbone is grateful for the support of the Saints fans, who have charted his progress through the club’s underage system.
“They all want me to succeed and it means a lot,” he said.
“When I was younger we saw everyone willing the academy players to succeed too because they’re one of your own. It’s fantastic.
“Throughout my injury, I’ve had so many good messages from the Southampton fans and I can’t say a bad word about them. Now I want to repay them with performances.”
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