Nathan Redmond

At 30 years old, Nathan Redmond has this physical status:

Nathan Jerome Redmond (born 6 March 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays for Southampton and the England national team. Redmond, Birmingham City's hometown team, began his career as a youth.

In August 2010, he made his first-team debut against Rochdale in the League Cup second round, becoming the club's second-youngest player at the age of 16 years and 173 days.

Redmond made his first under-21 debut in the 2013 European Under-21 Championship finals after representing England at all levels up to 19 years old.

In the 2013 close season, he joined Norwich City in the Premier League before making the move to Southampton from Norwich in the 2016 close season. He plays as a wide midfielder most often.

He is right-footed, but he has regularly played on both right and left wings, often cutting inside.

He has also played in the center behind a lone striker.

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Club career

Redmond was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, of Irish and Jamaican descent. He grew up in the Kitts Green district, attending Oval Primary School in Yardley and then Sheldon Heath Community Arts College. He was first noticed by Birmingham City's Academy scouts as an eight-year-old boy playing with older boys, and he scored a hat-trick in his first game for the club's under-10 team, according to the player's Facebook page.

He scored three goals for Birmingham's under-15 team, who qualified in the Nike Premier Cup for the first time in April 2009, and in the same season played in the club's under-18 academy team.

Redmond made 15 appearances, scoring three times for the academy under the age of 18 during the 2009–2010 season, although still a schoolboy. He made a few substitute appearances for the reserve team, including one against Aston Villa in early March 2010. A few days later, Redmond was given a first-team squad number and announced on standby for the Premier League match against Everton, but did not make the 18-man squad. He was an ineffective substitute for Birmingham's last home match of the 2009–2010 season, aged 16 years and 56 days. If he had played, he would have broken the club's youngest first-team player and also the youngest Premier League player, despite being nine days younger than Fulham's Matthew Briggs' record of seven days.

Terry Westley, the academy's chief, referred to him as "one of those wingers like an Aaron Lennon or Ashley Young." He has a lot of energy and can run the ball past defenders, as well as having the creativity to go with it," and has expressed interest in other clubs. In July 2010, he signed a scholarship with Birmingham City.

Redmond made his first-team appearance against Rochdale in the League Cup second round on August 26, 2010, against Enric Vallès, a Spanish midfielder, in the 78th minute. Trevor Francis, who was 34 days older than him on his debut, became the club's second-youngest player ever at 16 years and 173 days. Alex McLeish, the boss, was raving about his brief appearance:

Redmond joined Burton Albion in January 2011 on a month's Football League youth loan, enabling the player to play in junior games for Birmingham when not required by the loaning club. However, the transfer was postponed a few days later when the Football League, who had initially approved the transfer, learned that the laws barred a first-year scholar from signing a loan for a League club. He made two more appearances for Birmingham this season, one in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup, and the other in the FA Cup, and he committed to a three-year professional deal as soon as he turned 17, in March 2011.

Redmond began Birmingham's first pre-season friendly match, defeating Cork City 1–0. "I think Nathan Redmond did a good job," Chris Hughton said after his youth: "I believe he did a good job." We have to remember that he is only 17 years old. He had some good looks, but the last bit let him down a little." Redmond played the entire Europa League play-off round first leg against Portuguese club Nacional, the first time his club had participated in major European competition for nearly 50 years. Goalkeeper Elisson had put his compelled shot from outside the penalty area down, resulting in Chris Wood's crossbar. In a 3–1 loss at Middlesbrough, he made his League debut three days later and was playing the whole match again. Redmond opened the scoring in the second leg against Nacional with a poor drive from 20 yards (18 m), the club's goal of the season, and then saw the post with a curled shot as Birmingham defeated 3–0 to advance to the group stage.

Redmond's first league victory came in a 3–0 win over Blackpool on December 31 as he "smashed an unstoppable shot from just outside the penalty area that beat Howard at his near post." His second, "thumped in... from 12 yards in stoppage time" led to a 6–0 victory over a nine-man Millwall team. Birmingham defeated Sheffield United 4–0 to advance to the fifth round of the 2011–12 FA Cup, with a "stunning" 86th-minute volley that took them to third place in the table. Redmond started the scoring with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. He had seven goals from 37 appearances in all leagues last season and received the club's Young Player of the Year award.

Despite financial difficulties, the club's acting chairman insisted that neither Redmond nor goalkeeper Jack Butland are up for auction "unless we are subject to an eye-popping bid." Redmond set out to be a first-team regular. In October's 1–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, he made his 50th senior appearance, but Birmingham soon signed West Ham United winger Robert Hall on loan, and Redmond was often left out of the squad. Redmond "needed to be taken out of the firing line and would be better for it," Lee Clark said, as he had been encouraged to understand the importance of "the whole package, getting it right – the planning, the matches, and getting it all put in place." Redmond's manager understood that his training needs to be improved.

Redmond played as a second striker off Nikola igit' against Burnley in December, possibly the youngest starting eleven ever fielded by the club, a position that exploited his speed and talent for getting the ball to his feet. Redmond's form improved as the season progressed: he scored a goal for Chris Burke against Nottingham Forest, and Clark's first goal of the season came against Derby County in March, suggesting that it would be a good goalcorer. The player referred to himself as a "confidence player," and he's learned to accept the desire for patience rather than allowing frustration to rule him. "Redmond's form over the past three months was as good as it ever was," Birmingham Mail's end-of-season report said. He was chosen for the Under-20 World Cup's under-20 squad, and then as a late addition to the squad for the 2013 European Under-21 Championship finals.

Because Butland was sold to Stoke City in January, no other players had to leave in that transfer window, and Clark made it clear that it would be a bad idea to cash in on Redmond in the close season. Birmingham, on the other hand, accepted bids from Premier League clubs Swansea City and Norwich City, raising the initial £2 million plus up to £1.2 million in additional payments. Chris Hughton had to return to Norwich, where he had been working for four years.

He scored his first goal against Southampton on August 17, 2013, not his first appearance, but on the right wing – not his natural side – he scored Norwich's first league victory of the season.

Redmond completed a transfer to Southampton in the Premier League for an undisclosed fee, estimated by BBC Sport to be £10 million. He has been working for five years. Redmond scored on his debut in a 1–1 draw at home to Watford on August 13, with the equalizing goal.

He played a key role in Southampton's third season as a result of their promotion, five points above relegation. "The boys in the dressing room, the boss, and the coaching staff all have helped me to play with excitement and influence games in a positive manner," Redmond said.

Redmond has signed a new four-year contract with Southampton, extending his deal with the club until the summer of 2023. "I feel like we should build something special, and being a part of it for the next four years is beneficial to me."

Redmond scored twice and set up another goal in Southampton's 3–0 victory over AFC Bournemouth on March 2021 to advance to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Redmond joined Beşiktaş, the Süper Lig club, after more than six years with Southampton.

International career

Redmond made his England under-16 team debut on October 15, 2009. As England under-16 defeated Wales opponents in their first match of the 2009 Victory Shield tournament, which the team went on to win, he was involved in the build-up for the match's only aim. As the under-16s advanced to the final of the Montaigu Tournament in 2010, he appeared in all four games, scoring his first international goal.

In the final, England under-17s defeated Finland under-17s 5–0, and he scored the first goal against Denmark under-17s. Redmond was selected for the 2011 European under-17 championships, joining England's under-17 squad. England went on to win 2–1 after needing to defeat Spain in the elite round group. Redmond opened the scoring from a Raheem Sterling cross. He began the first two group matches, a draw with France and a loss to Denmark, and was a substitute in the remaining group match, a 3–0 victory over Serbia, which took England through to the semi-finals and confirmed their qualification for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In the semi-final match, England lost to the Netherlands due to Redmond's second-half substitution.

In 2011, Redmond, along with some of his under-17 teammates, advanced to the England Under-18s, a non-competitive age group on the international stage. In a 1–1 draw against Slovakia in November, he made a good debut in a 1–1 draw. Redmond, a 57th-minute replacement for Saido Berahino in a 2–1 loss to the Czech Republic, was brought into the under-19s squad to replace the injured Larnell Cole. He was a member of the 2012 European under-19 championships, scored the winning goal against Serbia in the group stage that announced England's promotion to the semi-final and qualifying for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Redmond, who he referred to as "a savvy winger [who] can play as a number 10 [who] had "an outstanding season], will be in his squad for the Under-20 World Cup, according to under-20 boss Peter Taylor, who described it as "a brilliant winger [who] can play as a number 10 [who] had an outstanding season." He was called into the Under-21 squad for the 2013 European Under-21 Championship finals as a late replacement for Andros Townsend just a few days later. Redmond opened England's first match of the tournament, defeating Italy 1–0. In a generally poor team effort, captain Jordan Henderson, boss Stuart Pearce, pundits, and press lauded Redmond for praise. He retained his place in the second group match against Norway as part of a three-man squad against Ince and Zaha. Steve Tongue of the Independent described him as "one of the few people who made a promise before being replaced" by Jonjo Shelvey, but England's landslide confirmed England's departure after a 3–1 loss.

England under senior team manager Roy Hodgson's guidance, defeated Scotland 6–0 in August 2013. Redmond scored the first goal and was named the sponsors' man of the match. England defeated Wales U21 in May 2014, giving the team a 3–1 win and opening up a nine-point lead in their qualifying group for the 2015 European Championships. Redmond was named England Under-21 Player of the Year for 2016, receiving 32% of the vote, ahead of Southampton teammate James Ward-Prowse with 25 percent.

He was selected in the senior England squad against Germany and a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on March 16, 2017 - March 16, 2017. He made his full England debut in the Germany match, but not before he called up for another two years.

In the meantime, it was revealed that Redmond was one of the dual-eligible players under new Ireland boss Mick McCarthy's plans to recruit for the country. McCarthy spoke to Redmond's agent, but before the end of February 2019, McCarthy had not managed to meet with the player directly. McCarthy accepted England as the subject of his "outstanding form" earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate's 27-man provisional group for the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals. James Ward-Prowse, neither Redmond nor Southampton's teammate, made the final 23, but the two teams stayed on to train with the squad ahead of the tournament.

In a live interview in March 2021, Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) president Michael Ricketts said Redmond was "in the process of obtaining their Jamaican passport" as part of the country's efforts to improve their chances of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. Redmond's three-weeks later told the Southampton-based Daily Echo that he had not been contacted by the JFF nor had he discussed the possibility of a change with his family. However, the JFF officially contacted Southampton in early April 2021 in order to officially request that Redmond represent Jamaica.

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