Bazunu itching to maximise minutes
Gavin Bazunu is determined to make up for lost time as the fit-again goalkeeper aims to impress new Southampton manager Will Still during pre-season.
It’s 15 months since the Irish stopper last featured in a competitive game for Saints, having missed the entirety of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with the Achilles injury that forced him out of the Championship promotion run-in.
He did make eight appearances on loan for Standard Liège between February and April this year, but another injury setback cut short his season.
“It’s nice to be back out on the pitch after being out for the last six or eight weeks before pre-season started, so to get more minutes in and just get that feel is nice again,” Bazunu said, speaking after Saints’ 1-1 draw with CD Castellón in Girona.
“My aim is just to be back playing, I think that’s the most important thing after missing a lot of football in the last 12 to 18 months, for me to just get a good run of games, get those minutes back and get a feel for playing again. That’s what I miss the most.”
Bazunu played the first half of Saints’ latest friendly, keeping a clean sheet thanks to two exceptional reflex stops.
“A couple of close-range saves from crosses, it’s always nice,” he added. “It’s always nice when you come back in in pre-season and you’re making those type of saves, it’s good to know that you’re getting your eye back in.
“I thought it was another good test, it was really good to get 45 minutes in the legs for myself and for everyone else. I thought we showed some really good things throughout the game and it’s just another building block for us.
“The group is a really positive group. We enjoy working together, the training sessions are a really high level, high intensity, very competitive, so it’s been really enjoyable so far.”
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