Ronald Koeman has revealed that Graziano Pelle is being monitored by the Italian national team and believes the striker is good enough to play for his country.

Koeman confirmed that the 29-year-old had been placed on a “pre-list” for the friendly with the Netherlands and the Euro 2016 qualifier against Norway earlier this month.

Pelle did not make it into the final squad, but he is clearly on the radar of coach Antonio Conte.

Koeman said: “He was one of the pre-list of the Italian national team and when he is doing like he is doing now then maybe he is one possibility for the coach of Italy, because if you show that quality in the Premier League of course you are good enough to be part of the Italian squad, but finally the national coach has to make that decision.”

Pelle has represented Italy at under-21 level and was part of the 2008 Olympic squad, but has never been capped for the senior team.

Koeman said news of him being under consideration had given the 6ft 4in forward a confidence boost.

“Of course, that gave him the support that he is doing well and that he is in the head of the coach of the national squad, because you don’t put anybody on the pre-list if you don’t think on that player,” said the Saints boss.

Pelle has enjoyed an excellent start to life in a Saints shirt, scoring four times since his summer move from Feyenoord.

He netted twice in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Newcastle, and Koeman says he is nearing top form.

“I think that’s close to the best way how he can play, and because he knows now what he has to bring in the Premier League,” he said.

“Ok, we don’t talk about a player who is 20-years-old, because they develop much more because they are young, and he is 28, 29, but he can be like this for three or four years more and if his mind is ok then I think that is the most important for a football player.

“If your mind is ok, if you are really focused to what you have to do, then you can show the best of yourself.”

Koeman added that he believes Pelle’s experience has been part of the reason why he appears to have adapted so well.

“In the training sessions he’s a very concentrated person,” he said. “It’s a personality.

“You speak about a player who is 28, 29, with a lot of experience in Holland, in Italy.

“Sometimes he didn’t play in Holland, sometimes he didn’t play in Italy, and all that kind of experience is good for a football player.

“Now he knows exactly what is his qualities and you know now maybe a little bit more in the beginning what you have to do well to play in the Premier League – you have to be sharp from the first minute until the last minute, and you can’t do the exercises on 80 per cent.

“In all what you do, you have to be 100 per cent and he’s doing that. The qualities, the strengths of the player, he is showing.”