Jayden Meghoma: The pathway to first-team football | OneFootball

If you told Jayden Meghoma this time last year that he’d be involved in a Premier League matchday squad at St Mary’s Stadium, he probably would have - with a slightly optimistic head on - believed you.

Initially joining Southampton on a scholarship deal in August 2022, he penned his first professional contract in July 2023 at the south-coast club, before making four appearances across the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in a season that ended in promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

What the 18-year-old might not have comprehended 12 months ago, though, is that rather than representing the Saints, he’d be doing it as an away player.

“It felt normal to be honest,” he reflects on the Bees' trip to his former club on 4 January, where he was an unused substitute as Thomas Frank’s side recorded a 5-0 victory - the club’s biggest-ever winning margin in the Premier League.

“I know a few of the lads down there quite well because I spent two years with them, so it was good to see them.

“It was a fantastic day, but I’m on the opposing team now, I play for Brentford so that was my only focus.

“Thomas’ message was clear from the start, and I think the boys executed it really well.”

Although Southampton handed Meghoma his first pro deal, they were not the first club where the left-back plied his trade.

Having grown up in London, his development - at least outside of the grassroots game - began at Tottenham.

He continues: “I was quite young when I first started playing, maybe three or four, so I don’t remember much, even though it was only 14 years ago!

“I played grassroots [level] until I was about 13, then I went into the academy system. When I signed for Tottenham, I was in the development squad for two weeks and had a trial straight after that with the academy. I got signed within four or five weeks.

“It was an amazing feeling and I never thought it’d happen but after that, I was confident in my abilities and ever since then, I’ve just kept working hard.”

Making the decision to leave one of the traditional ‘big six’ is not an easy one at any stage of a footballer’s career, yet it’s a call that Meghoma bravely made when he departed north London for Hampshire.

“From a young age, they [Tottenham] really work on the technical side of things which helped me coming from grassroots football,” he explains.

“That helped my development for two or three years before I moved onto Southampton. It was a no-brainer at the time, I was looking at how I could break into a first team and being realistic with myself.

“It was quite hard to break through with Tottenham and the pathway is the main thing.

“Some people do break through at the bigger clubs which is a fantastic thing, but a lot don’t. I could have made it through at Tottenham but I’m happy with my decisions.”

Fast forward two years and, when the chance to return to the capital came along with Brentford, it was an opportunity that Meghoma could not turn down.

The talented full-back penned a four-year deal in late August, with the club retaining the option to extend his stay by a further two years.

“I was quite young when I was at Southampton, but it gave me a lot of exposure to a first-team environment which I enjoyed a lot,” he recalls.

“When I broke into the first team, or was in and around it, they were in the Championship, but playing in the Premier League is so different.

“Watching the team play week in, week out in the Premier League; it’s on another level.

“Brentford is a step higher. We’re competing for bigger things and our ambitions are a bit different.”

Taking both the Bees and former club Southampton out of the picture, the key reason for Meghoma making the move to west London was undoubtedly Thomas Frank, who described him as “one of the biggest left-back talents this country has” when the deal was confirmed last summer.

“What he said to me convinced me and he’s been fantastic,” the teenage defender explains.

“Thomas was the main factor, he just sold it to me. The support he gives to all the players is really, really good.

“I think it was his plan for me and how he tailored it individually to me in terms of what he could help me with and what he thinks I’m excellent at.

“It was also about what he thinks I could get better at, now and in the future. The way he had that individual care for a player, it’s something I’d not seen before.”

Having been at Brentford for approaching five months now, Meghoma's development has not only been aided by Thomas, but also by the existing first-team squad that he has established himself as a part of.

“As a footballer in this environment, I think you’re forever improving. Every day you learn something new.

“Especially with the players we have, everyone is really hard working and you can pick things off certain players with the detail they put into training.

“The captain is great with the younger players, but all of the players are. Everybody is together as a team, that’s what’s good about Brentford.”

There were only 18 days between Meghoma being unveiled as a Bee and his debut for the club, when he started September’s 3-1 Carabao Cup win against Leyton Orient at Gtech Community Stadium.

Another home start followed in the same competition against Sheffield Wednesday in October, before December brought his Premier League bow at Chelsea and a quarter-final Carabao Cup appearance at Newcastle.

“I’d say I am ahead of where I expected to be, but I still think I can do more,” he admits. “I signed not long before the Leyton Orient game, so I really enjoyed starting that.

“Chelsea was a really good feeling as well. It was around 10 minutes plus added time. It was an amazing experience and was hopefully the first of many.

“Newcastle was a tough game for all of us because of the way they play at home. I wouldn’t say it was intimidating - for me it was just valuable minutes.”

Although he is, by his own admission, potentially ahead of schedule, there appears to be little doubt that the former Spurs youngster will remain grounded.

“I haven’t done anything in football yet,” he states. “As a young player, you just have to be on it every day and make sure Thomas can trust you.

“The main thing is to stay humble, that’s one of Thomas’ big things.

“You have to make sure you work hard on and off the pitch. I’ve done that throughout my whole time as a footballer.”

Away from club football, where development and impressing are the focus - “I need to keep taking in the information I’m given, and asking the coaches what I need to do to keep playing and improving,” he outlines when asked about his goals for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign - Meghoma is an England youth international.

Representing the Three Lions - a feat he has achieved from under-16 to under-19 level - was a big decision in itself, given that he is also eligible to play for Nigeria through his father.

“I’ve grown up in England my whole life,” he explains. “My dad is Nigerian and that is an important part in my life as well.

“Nigeria are doing quite well, [playing for them] is a consideration because you never know what happens in football.

“It’s a decision that might come later on in life, but for me right now in the youth teams, England is the best choice.”

Meghoma's next opportunity to impress has come away from west London after the left-back joined Championship side Preston North End on loan for the remainder of the 2024/25 season.