LEEDS United have put Southampton Saints' budding international starlet Shelly Cox top of their wanted list.

The Yorkshire club have lodged notice of approach for the 18-year-old from Fair Oak, who has progressed from the Southampton FC Girls' Centre of Excellence into the England under-19 squad.

Cox, who made her first-team Saints debut at the tender age of 14, is a sparkling advert for the club's youth development policy.

Having started out playing alongside the boys in the Wyvern under-9 team, she honed her skills with Southampton and was among the first batch of players to be chosen for the FA's National Player Development Centre at Loughborough which grooms potential senior England stars.

Because of her international commitments, Cox has made only five starts for the Saints this season, but her departure would make life even harder for coach Steve Stone, who is battling to keep the club afloat in the FA Women's Premier League National Division.

Saints have dropped into the bottom two and assignments don't come much tougher than the one they face this Sunday (December 8) when they travel to league leaders and pioneer professional club Fulham.

They will be up against some familiar faces with ex-Saints Una Nwajei, Rachel McArthur and Jess Wright all now playing for the mighty Londoners.

Hampshire's senior women's representative side face Gloucestershire at Andover this Wednesday (December 11, 7.30) in the South West Counties Championship.

Hants squad: Krystal Whyte, Becci Fry, Danielle Bird, Connie Brazier, Katie Morris (all Southampton Saints), Gemma Ritchie (Arsenal Ladies), Helen Pryer (Red Star), Alice Cantelo (Hatch Warren), Katie Poore, Laura Froggatt, Lisa Richmond, Jo Lockton, Charlotte Browne, Charley Wilson, Stacey Niven (all Portsmouth FC Ladies). Standby: Angela Fisher, Lucy Keil, Laura Oakes (all Portsmouth FC Ladies).