Saints’ record signing Daniel Osvaldo insists the decision to join the club was an easy one and that his transfer from Roma represents a “dream come true” for him.

The 27-year-old striker faced the media this afternoon, after his blockbuster switch from the Serie A side, which was completed last night.

Despite reports earlier in the summer that Osvaldo had rejected Saints’ advances and did not wish to move to St Mary’s, he said he was thrilled to have signed and that the choice was not a hard one in any way.

“It wasn’t difficult at all,” he said, speaking via an interpreter. “From the moment I signed last night I was very relieved. It’s what I really wanted in the end for me and for my career and for my girlfriend.

“In fact, we have been looking for houses for about three months already. So, we are very pleased to be here. It wasn’t a difficult decision at all, it was actually very easy.”

Asked why he accepted Saints’ offer, Osvaldo said: “It’s the club that showed the most interest in me. Second of all, it’s because I know Mauricio (Pochettino, the Saints manager) and I know how he works, so I’m very pleased and I’m very happy that I’m going to be working with him, and also because I wanted to play in the Premier League.

“I have been dreaming about playing in this league, and I want to do something important in this league, so I’ve made that dream come true.”

Osvaldo, who played under Pochettino for 18 months at Espanyol, before moving to Roma two years ago, added: “I know him quite well, I know how he sets out his teams. The season-and-a-half that I shared with him I would say was my best season as a footballer.

“What I want to do is repeat on that performance and actually improve it. I’m confident enough that will happen and I can’t wait to start.”

Osvaldo was on the receiving end of some nasty abuse from Roma fans during his time in Italy, and he says the reputation of supporters in England helped convince him to move.

“I have always wanted to play in the Premiership, I’ve always been a massive fan of the Premiership, even before being in Italy, when I was in Spain, that was the case as well,” he said.

“It was always a dream for me to play in this league. For someone that comes from Argentina and that plays for the Italian national side what’s really surprising is the respect for the players, the admiration of the fans for the players, they respect even when you make mistakes.

“They really respect the fact that you’re trying, and that’s what’s really surprising. I appreciate that, and perhaps that doesn’t happen in other leagues.

“Overall, the technical level of the league is amazing, it’s very dynamic, so overall I’m thrilled to be here.”

Osvaldo, who is likely to make his debut in this Saturday’s home clash with Sunderland, added: “All I want to do is just play at the moment. I just want to put the shirt on. If there was a game tomorrow I’d be playing it. I’d be very thrilled and excited to play that game. I just really want to put the shirt on and feel the atmosphere of the big games.”