JUST how much do Saints want to sign American winger DaMarcus Beasley?

That is the question chairman Rupert Lowe must be asking himself after Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven joined the race to sign the 22-year-old prospect.

Saints had what Lowe called a "substantial" bid for the left-sided USA international - believed to be around $1.4m (£780,000) - turned down last month.

Major League Soccer, the company that run the American league and who hold all the players' contracts, refused to accept the offer.

After that Beasley told the American media: "I'm disappointed Southampton came in and put in good money and I'm still in the MLS."

Now, though, PSV boss Guus Hiddink has targeted Beasley as a replacement for youngster Arjen Robben, who has joined Chelsea for £13m.

PSV certainly need fresh attacking talent - they have also agreed to sell Serbian striker Mateja Kezman to Chelsea for around £5.5m and last week sold Danish winger Dennis Rommedahl to Charlton for £2m.

Throw in the Robben cash and PSV are certainly in a position to offer vastly more money than Saints would.

Chicago general manager Peter Wilt said: "PSV has shown interest in DaMarcus, like a lot of clubs.

"He's a very good player and we expect that.

"Their offer was not one that either the Fire or MLS deemed significant enough to accept."

Although reports originally claimed that the PSV bid was around $2.2m (around £1.2m) Wilt said it was actually closer to Saints' offer.

"It was in a different form, but comparable money to the Southampton offer," Wilt added.

"Every inquiry has to be examined on a case-by-case basis."

Beasley was close to signing with Ajax last year but the Dutch aces withdrew their offer of $2.3m (around £1.3m) in favour of signing Victor Sikora.

Sections of the Dutch media have been reporting PSV's chasing of Beasley as a 'done deal'.

But some Saints fans will be hoping Lowe raises the stakes by offering to match Ajax's £1.3m bid.

After all, £1.3m is not a vast sum of money for Saints in this day and age for a player rated the most promising youngster in the United States.

And Beasley's signing would certainly improve manager Paul Sturrock's left-sided options.

Neil McCann was signed a year ago but has so far failed to make much of an impact at St Mary's, while Anders Svensson finished the 2003/04 campaign on the left side.

But the Swedish international favours a more central role.

Beasley, meanwhile, has a major chance to put himself in the international shop window again next weekend.

He will win his 36th international cap in a friendly against Poland on his home Soldier Field ground this coming Saturday.

It will be the player's ninth cap of 2004, during which he has scored four goals - including three in the two-legged World Cup qualifying win against Grenada last month.

The US won that tie 6-2 on aggregate and now progress to the first CONCAFAF group stage for the 2006 World Cup, which starts next month.

Beasley's current contract with MLS takes him through to next summer, at which time he would be available to sign with any European team on a free transfer.

Saints have been linked with Celtic winger Bobby Petta, the 30-year-old Dutch winger who spent a brief loan spell with Fulham last season and who has also played for Feyenoord and Ipswich Town.