Southampton announce U21 women's team to leave Manchester United as only Premier League club without one

The new side, which will begin from the 2017/18 season, will be made up of 16 to 21-year-olds and will play against local and FA Women’s Super League development teams

Southampton's new Under-21 women's team will begin next season (Getty)

Southampton have announced the creation of a new Under-21s women's team leaving Manchester United as the only Premier League club without one.

The new side, which will begin from the 2017/18 season, will be made up of 16 to 21-year-olds and will play against local and FA Women’s Super League development teams.

Executive Director of Football Les Reed said: "It's fantastic news. It just shows how rapidly the girls' and women's programme has taken off, and how quickly we've moved from negotiating the takeover of the County Centre of Excellence into a Regional Talent Club and now a women's team.

"It will be a very young women's team, which goes with our profile as a club – young players to develop for the future, but it will contain a number of international players and high-quality young girls who have got bright futures in the game, so it is very exciting indeed."

Head of Women’s and Girls’ Football Martina Heath said: "It's massive what we've done this year, but we're not here to stand still.

"We had an amazing season this year with the Regional Talent Club, and we're really conscious that we wanted to continue to support the players who are exiting that programme.

"I think it's really important for the club to be offering a female player pathway throughout, and what's really pleasing is that the club has really supported things in terms of the women's and girls' programme."

The club is now welcoming registrations for trials from prospective players, who must be born between 1st September 1996 and 31st August 2001. Dates, and a registration form, can be found on the club's official website.

Manchester United absorbed local women's team Corinthians in 2000 but it only lasted five years and despite persistent calls have not had any affiliation with any women's team for over a decade.

Rivals Manchester City have thrown considerable resources at their own project with the team winning the Women's FA Cup last weekend in front of a record crowd at Wembley.