Southampton FC struck gold with £7.8m star - Saints fans are absolutely loving him | OneFootball

Leo Scienza is shining in a Southampton shirt.

Southampton are beginning to hit their stride after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

The Saints were relegated from the Premier League with relative ease last term, but dropped into the Championship as one of the sides with instant promotion ambitions.

However, things weren't quite straightforward at St Mary's across the opening months of the season, resulting in the sacking of Will Still earlier this month.

Southampton have since won three in a row under interim manager Tonda Eckert, with their recent 5-1 demolition of Charlton showcasing a Saints side in red-hot form.

One man in particular has continued to receive acclaim among the fanbase throughout the run and has even been deemed the "best player in the Championship" by rival supporters.

Arriving late in the transfer window, Brazilian winger Leo Scienza has been a shining light for Southampton this season, and Saints fans are understandably loving him.

Leo Scienza's impressive Southampton start - fans are loving him

Making the move from Bundesliga outfit Heidenheim on deadline day, Southampton forked out a reported £7.8 million to bring the Brazilian to the South Coast. Thus far, they have seemingly struck gold.

After being utilised from the bench in the early days of his Saints career, Scienza would begin to really hit his stride following the culmination of the October international break, before scoring his maiden goal in red and white in a 2-1 loss against Blackburn Rovers.

Will Still would lose his job a week later as a result of a 2-0 loss at the hands of Preston, before the 27-year-old would come up with his best moment in a Southampton shirt as Tonda Eckert's side picked up their first win in six against Queens Park Rangers.

Alongside 15 chances created and 15 successful crosses, Scienza is box-office with the ball at his feet. With 2.19 successful dribbles per 90, it is no surprise that the Brazilian is one of the most fouled players in the division, with the winger being fouled 4.51 times per 90 - the most in the division.

With an expected assists stat of 2.3, it comes as a surprise that Scienza has not actually put one on the board for Southampton just yet. However, with the Saints beginning to finally fire in the final third, it is only a matter of time before his output explodes. It is also fair to say that the St Mary's faithful are absolutely loving the winger thus far.

And while Scienza's numbers are not the highest at this moment in time, Southampton fans have been keen to outline just how important he has been throughout their recent resurgence.

In the Saints' 5-1 win against Charlton over the weekend, Scienza didn't manage to get on the scoresheet. However, his starring role in the Southampton display even won him praise from Addicks supporters.

Southampton are getting the best out of big talent - He could be a real difference maker

Scienza's professional football path has been rather unique when compared to others across the division.

After scoring ten times and registering 22 assists with Fanna FK in the fifth tier of Swedish football, Scienza was picked up by German giants Schalke 04, where he would score 15 times in 59 appearances as the club bounced between the first and second tiers.

After a hit-and-miss spell with Magdeburg, he would make his name in the 3. Liga for SSV Ulm, where he would earn promotion to the 2. Bundesliga with the Sparrows, before Bundesliga outfit and fellow Baden-Württembergers Heidenheim secured his signature.

And with Heidenheim battling for survival throughout the campaign, Scienza would often operate on the periphery of the starting 11, never managing to land a central role in Frank Schmidt's side. Though his magic was always visible, no more so than in the final moments of the 2024/25 campaign when his sensational solo goal secured Heidenheim's top-flight place in the relegation play-off against Elversberg.

The Brazilian made 27 appearances for the club last term, scoring six goals and registering eight assists as Heidenheim balanced Conference League football with a relegation battle.

Now at Southampton, Scienza is central to everything positive on the pitch. With his box-office dribbling, ability to carry the ball, and deadly eye for goal from range, he has the potential to be a real difference maker moving forward.

As a relegated side, Southampton came into the season as one of the promotion favourites. Their start to the campaign did not exactly meet these expectations; however, in Scienza, there is a real talismanic figure in the final third.

Alongside the influence of Finn Azaz, Tom Fellows and Adam Armstrong, the argument is there to be made that the Saints possess the strongest attack in the division, and this could be the driving force as they look to climb the standings and throw themselves back into the promotion picture.