Southampton chasing Man City starlet Jadel Katongo with teenager impressing after switching to new position

MANCHESTER CITY’S latest hot prospect Jadel Katongo is being chased by Southampton.

England Under-20 cap Katongo is starring on loan at Peterborough, where he is emerging as a versatile talent.

Jadel Katongo is on loan at Peterborough from Manchester CityAlamy

The 19-year-old was known as a centre-half as a kid but is now being tried as a midfielder and looks impressive.

Manchester-born Katongo has been at City since he was nine and is well known to Saints transfer supremo Jason Wilcox.

Southampton have raided Man City’s academy in the recent past with four stars making a switch last summer.

Katongo was also watched by Burnley last week as a possible long-term project.

The Clarets could trump Southampton’s pursuit by offering the teenager Premier League football.

However, it remains to be seen how long that will be the case as they sit bottom of the table with just four points from their opening 12 games.

Meanwhile, Saints are beginning to mount a promotion charge under manager Russell Martin having been relegated last season.

Unbeaten since September, the South Coast side have won six and drawn two of their last eight matches.

That run has seen them leap up to fourth in the Championship table.

But they are still eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places as Leicester and Ipswich have opened up a substantial gap.

It is Saints’ first season outside of the Premier League since the 2011/12 campaign.