Following two cruel years of injury trouble, the 21-year-old is now back on the front foot, with a chance to impress new boss Mauricio Pellegrino in this week’s training camp in Austria.



The trip comes as Flannigan has put pen to paper on a new deal, with the club giving him the opportunity and security to focus on pushing on in these coming months.



“When I got told I was coming out here I was delighted and am just trying to take every day as best as I can and take the opportunity with two hands,” said Flannigan, who suffered two ACL injuries in 2015, before requiring another operation last year, ahead of returning to health at the back end of the 2016/17 season.



"I feel in a very good place. I'm still trying to get my fitness back. I still feel like I'm still a little bit behind fitness-wise, but I think that's just all part of pre-season and coming back from injury, but it is exciting knowing what's to come and I just want to keep impressing and hopefully go on the next pre-season trip.”

The club have shown their faith in me and it's my turn to show what i can do. jake flannigan

southampton midfielder

Speaking about the new six-month deal, he added: "It's really important. I can only be grateful to the club, because once again they've shown their faith in me.



“They didn't have to offer me a new contract, and it's such a cutthroat business that a lot of players would have just been thrown out. I'm just really happy, because they have shown faith in me and it's now my turn to show what I can do.



“I've had so many ups and downs and so many times when I've thought I was coming back into playing again and there's been another setback, so I've had to stay really headstrong, but now I'm done with all that.



“I just want to put it in the past and see myself as a fit player now and really ready to push on.”