Jay Rodriguez deal signifies important step forward for Southampton

Southampton (7/4 with Coral for a top six finish) have tied sought-after star Jay Rodriguez to a four-year deal that should see the exciting attacker stay at St Mary’s until 2019, and the announcement is certainly a well-timed and welcome one.

According to reports, right back Nathaniel Clyne has also re-entered contract negotiations and, if the Saints can persuade the apparent Manchester United target to stay, recapturing the England international’s signature would be equal to any acquisition of new blood.

On the surface, retaining Rodriguez, who has been sidelined with a serious knee injury since last April, does not seem a coup worth celebrating so vigorously.

However, on closer inspection, the deal is much more important than meets the eye for Southampton’s status, especially since Manchester City were said to be giving the 25-year-old admiring glances.

Dutch coach Ronald Koeman told press: “This is very good news for the club because there was some speculation about Jay and interest from other big clubs.

“It is a compliment to the club that we have an agreement,” said the St Mary’s gaffer, and his last sentence is key.

Rewind to just last summer and Southampton were in an entirely different predicament, as rumours were rife surrounding an exodus of first-team stars, and soon after the transfers of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Luke Shaw were sealed, and the Saints tipped for relegation woe.

It is credit to the club’s impressive infrastructure and forward planning that a probable seventh place finish would now be considered a disappointment, following a surprise swashbuckling season in which the south coast club boasted one of the Premier League’s best backline records.