Southampton manager Russell Martin has praised Kamaldeen Sulemana for his ability on the ball, his athleticism, and pace.Sulemana joined the Saints from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes ahead of the 2022-23 season but has since struggled to hit the ground running.The Ghanaian winger was on the verge of securing a move to Ajax in the summer's transfer window but the deal eventually fell through, keeping him in England.Despite displaying brilliance in glimpses, Kamaldeen has yet to showcase his full potential on the South Coast."He can give you moments that no one else can give you with his athleticism, power and pace.
Some of the things he can do at top speed are really incredible to see sometimes," Martin said in his pre-game presser.Kamaldeen's struggles have reflected in his output in front of goal, as the Ghanaian has scored twice in 44 appearances for Southampton, leaving Russell Martin demanding more from the winger."I think it's consistency with him.
The Kamaldeen we have now in terms of the way he trains consistently is very different to the guy we walked into"Sulemana was primed to start for Southampton in the Premier League after the Saints secured top-flight promotion for the first time since the 2022-23 season.However, a pre-season injury picked up against Oxford United ruled Sulemana out of Southampton's first seven league games of the ongoing season.The injury picked up in pre-season, in addition to Sulemana's time on the sidelines during the 2023-24 Championship season, is an issue Russell Martin looks to rectify."If we can do that and keep him in a good place physically, then we have someone who can really make a difference for us in games"Southampton, who have picked up one point in seven league outings, face Leicester City on Saturday as they look to secure their first win of the season.The return of the tricky winger will serve as a confidence booster for the struggling Saints.