SAINTS have made their first senior signing of the summer with the introduction of former Swansea City man Ryan Manning.

Russell Martin, with the certification of director of football Jason Wilcox, has moved to bring in one of his trusted men from last season at his new club.

But who is Manning and why were Premier League clubs chasing him? Have Saints got a steal on a free transfer or is it a ‘jobs for mates’ situation?

We have studied Manning’s career so far and read past interviews with the defender to give you the lowdown on what to expect…

Who is Ryan Manning?

Daily Echo: Southampton's Yan Valery (left) and Swansea City's Ryan Manning battle for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup third round match at the Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea. Picture date: Saturday January 8, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Swansea.

Manning is a 27 year old left-back, born in Galway, Republic of Ireland, on 14 June, 1996. He stands five-foot 10-inch tall and has penned a four-year contract at Saints.

Manning initially began his playing career, in the League of Ireland, as an attacking player – and he was signed at QPR by former Saints manager Harry Redknapp to play behind the striker.

This is not the first time he has turned down interest from the Premier League in favour of a different move so he makes career decisions based on multiple factors.

To add to that, he also rejected a contract at Ipswich Town in secondary school after a month-long trial in order to finish his ‘leaving certificate’ in Irish education.

The Republic of Ireland international could be entering the peak of his career with eight successive seasons playing in the Championship set to precede a ninth.

Manning’s career so far?

Daily Echo: Queens Park Rangers' Ryan Manning. Picture: PA

The Irish international began playing in the second division of his home country with Mervue United and his hometown Galway.

Manning scored in both legs of the promotion playoff final with Galway to brush aside Premier Division UCD Dublin and secure passage to the top flight, before moving to QPR in 2015.

After 86 Championship appearances between 2016-2020, including a brief spell on loan at Rotherham United, he signed at Swansea.

Manning went on to make 109 appearances for the Welsh outfit, including 980 under manager Martin over the last two campaigns.

Last season, when Manning nailed down the left-back slot for good having also featured as a centre-back previously, was when the defender shone.

He scored five goals and provided a further 10 assists in the Championship – his career-best figures – as Martin’s side posted a late playoff run and missed out by only two points.

Manning’s goal output is impressive for his position and over his career he has averaged a goal or assist at least once every four matches.

International exploits?

Daily Echo:

Manning is a full Republic of Ireland international and made his debut for the Boys in Green as a starter in a 0-0 draw with Bulgaria in November 2020.

The remaining five of his caps have come in international friendlies, with substitute appearances versus Qatar, Andorra, Hungary and Belgium.

Manning played 90 minutes of a 1-0 win over Lithuania and Ireland have not lost in any fixture that the Saints defender has played a part in.

Sporadic Ireland captain and 100-cap international James McClean has often kept Manning out of the left-wing-back role in Stephen Kenny’s XI but Manning is seven years his junior.

Manning has also played alongside Saints youngsters Gavin Bazunu and Will Smallbone with the national team.

What has Manning said?

Daily Echo:

Speaking to Irish publication The 42, Manning explored the idea of success in football and ‘making it’ after coming over to England to pursue a career.

“You have the make most of it when things are going well for you, make sure you can be set up financially for when you might be out of favour, when you might be out of contract and things aren’t going well,” he said.  

“You have to be able to prepare for that as best you can while times are good. I started planning for retirement at 18 because you never know when this career will end.

“Things are going well now and you’d like to think that would last for the next five, 10 years. But the reality is it could be over next week, it could be finished for you with a bad injury.”

Manning added: “When you’re younger, you can squander a lot. You get a good contract early and think money will always be like that. Then it’s gone, you’re at the end and you might be left with nothing. What then?”

“You come over as a kid or dream as a kid of playing in the Premier League, the Champions League, of course, you’d give anything to play in a World Cup for Ireland. You think that is what a successful career is.

“But once you get into it and see the game within you realise that’s the minority of the minority who make it. Success is a lot more. Can you earn a living from the game? That is a success.

“Can you earn money to set your family up for the rest of their life? That would be a success because a successful career is a lot more than what you do on the pitch.”

Explaining why he moved from attacking midfield to the left of defence, Manning said: “There were five of six midfielders with more experience than me, but we had one injury at left-back and I was able to get in.

“My thinking was to get in the team any way I could and make the position mine, so that’s what I tried to do.

“It’s still what I am doing now. Men’s football is mortgage football, so how do I get into the best condition possible to be the number one player in my position?

“There is always someone coming for your shirt, a new signing to come in. You have to make sure the club see you as someone they don’t need to replace.”

Our verdict

Daily Echo: Ryan Manning has signed

On the pitch, Manning is exactly what the club needed to add both quality and depth to the left-back position which currently sees both Romain Perraud and Juan Larios injured.

His last season in the Championship, under Martin, was as solid as it was exciting and he will offer goals and assists to this Saints team.

Martin also now has four staff members and one of his trusted players to help the side bring in what is initially a difficult playstyle to grasp, and that could be important.

To add, reading Manning’s quotes and studying his career path, he is clearly wise and intelligent and makes decisions, it would appear, for the right reasons.

Martin’s testimony on his character is to be believed and Manning will make a great addition to a dressing room that needed guidance and experience.

The Daily Echo called for Saints to sign Manning once Martin’s appointment became inevitable and a free transfer for one of the division’s top players is a no-brainer.