FORMER Southampton youth team skipper Andy Robinson has emerged as a surprise target for Wanderers.

Dougie Freedman is considering offering a deal to the 21-year-old central midfielder, who is on the verge of leaving St Mary’s.

The youngster – whose full name is Andreas Sonny Robinson – made his only senior appearance for the Saints as a substitute in a 2-0 League Cup third round win over Sheffield Wednesday in September 2012.

But he has featured regularly for the club’s development squad and made an appearance for the Whites in their penalty shootout victory over Manchester United on Monday night in the Manchester Senior Cup.

It is understood Robinson has been told he will not get another contract in the Premier League, and Wanderers are now checking to see what compensation, if any, would be due to the club.

But the combative midfielder has impressed enough for Freedman to investigate his situation and attempt to bring him to the North West, where he could step into the hole vacated by Josh Vela, who looks likely to leave for Notts County in a month-long loan before the end of this week.

Bournemouth-born Robinson is a graduate of the celebrated Saints academy ranks that produced the likes of Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He has been with the South Coast club since the age of eight and has made five starts for the Under-21s this season, scoring once.

Freedman has added several youngsters to the development squad and under-18s ranks since last summer and has also run the rule over a number of trialists by way of work experience loans. One such experiment was Spurs midfielder Laste Dombaxe, who played a single game for the development squad before returning to White Hart Lane in January.

Another was Romanian defender Stefan Popescu, who it is understood has also left the club.

Robinson is seen as a potential permanent signing, however, although his current deal with the Whites is being termed “a trial” by both clubs at present.