Saints are set to take in two European destinations this summer as they head out on a double headed pre-season tour.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team are scheduled to be away for a total of around 18 days for the two overseas visits to the Alps and Spain.

Saints will become the last Premier League club to confirm pre-season fixtures when they formally announce their plans.

They have been no strangers to the Alps in recent seasons, and this year are headed to Austria where they can be guaranteed good training facilities and plenty of peace and quiet in which to prepare.

Pochettino, who played and managed for many years in Spain, also wants to take his team there once again.

He led a trip to Spain only days after taking over from Nigel Adkins as manager back in January.

Saints are expected to play friendlies on both their trips as they build up towards the new Premier League season, which kicks-off on August 17.

The initial friendlies are likely to be low key affairs, with players getting just 45 minutes each to get them gently back into the swing of things.

In Spain there is even a chance they could take part in a multi-team tournament and a match in Malaga in early August.

Saints, who report back for pre-season training at the start of July, are also expected to play friendlies on their return to the UK.

The plans are relatively conservative given some of the pre-season trips being taken by top flight clubs this summer, and suggest a bigger emphasis on the quality of their preparations rather than a marketing ploy.

There are a raft of teams visiting Asia and the USA this summer, while others go to the likes of South Africa, Australia and even Costa Rica, in the case of Fulham, to spread their name around the world.

Arsenal will play a pre-season friendly against rivals Manchester City in Helsinki, the last game for both sides before the new campaign gets underway, while Manchester United’s pre season fixture list sees them travelling over 24,000 miles.