Southampton academy defender Jayden Moore has joined Worthing on a temporary deal and made his debut in the club’s 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion U21s at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium.
Loan move and debut
The 6ft 4in centre-back featured alongside Joe Cook at the heart of Worthing’s defence on his first night for the club. Comfortable on either side of a back four and capable of filling in midfield, Moore is the latest young player to arrive at Worthing from a Premier League academy setup.
This is Moore’s second senior loan spell. He spent the closing weeks of the 2025/26 campaign with National League side Eastleigh, where he made six appearances and completed 90 minutes in every outing after joining them in March.
Background and progression
Moore has been attached to Southampton since he was eight years old and has risen through the club’s youth ranks to become a regular in the Saints U21 side. He is yet to make his first-team debut for Southampton, although he was named among the substitutes on the final day of the 2024/25 Premier League season against Arsenal.
“The move happened really quickly, but the lads in the dressing room have welcomed me and made me feel really comfortable on my debut,”
On joining the Reds at Woodside, Moore added: “I’m looking forward to get a few training sessions under my belt and hopefully having a really good period here.”
What this means locally
For Southampton supporters this loan represents another step in the club’s development pathway: a tall, versatile defender gaining senior minutes in the non-league system close to the city. For Worthing, bringing in a player schooled at St Mary’s academy strengthens their defensive options ahead of the new season.
- Moore’s profile: 6ft 4in, centre-back who can also play wide or in midfield
- Previous senior experience: six appearances for Eastleigh (all 90 minutes) in 2025/26
- Immediate impact: debuted in a 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parent club | Southampton (academy graduate) |
| Loan club | Worthing |
| Senior loan history | Eastleigh (six apps), Worthing (current) |
Fans wanting to follow Moore’s progress should look out for Worthing’s matchday reports and team sheets. Loans of this kind are intended to provide regular senior football and, if successful, can accelerate a young player’s readiness for Championship or Premier League environments.
This move is part of a wider pattern of southern clubs using loans to supplement squads with youth from higher-level academies — a pragmatic route for both player development and squad depth at National League South level.
