SOUTHAMPTON are set to sign young Irish midfielder Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh from Cork City.
The 18-year-old will command a six-figure down payment and has already been through a lot.
Saints and Middlesbrough have also signed a loan deal for 21-year-old centre-half Charlie Cresswell, who has fallen out of favour with league rivals Leeds.
O’Brien-Whitmarsh scored four goals from midfield in 27 senior appearances for Cork, despite turning 18 in May.
He has a key player in the insurgent army since he debuted with the first team in March.
The teenager is also experienced, having previously represented Ireland at U-15 and U-18 level.
Meanwhile, it is possible that Cresswell will be loaned out again via Leeds in January.
The defender spent last season with Millwall as his parent club was relegated from the Premier League.
However, he has failed to identify himself alongside Daniel Farke this season.
Cresswell hasn’t played a league game in more than two months and has formed two groups that day in that span.
In addition to playing only 4 league games, he has played two minutes in the league since matchday 3.
Like O’Brien-Whitmarsh, he played for his country at youth level, scoring in 14 caps for England Under-21s.
One of the options came when the Young Lions won the European Championship this summer.
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