Saints have seen 19 players leave the club this week for international duty.

The unprecedented number includes 16 who have first-team experience for them.

It would have been an even greater figure had keeper Fraser Forster not been forced to withdraw from the England squad through injury.

The action starts on Wednesday, when five of the club’s players could be involved.

Steven Davis will lead Northern Ireland in a friendly away to Scotland, while keeper Cody Cropper could earn a first senior USA cap, in their friendly in Denmark.

Saints also have three youngsters – Harrison Reed, Jordan Turnbull and Jack Stephens – in the England Under-20 squad, for their friendly against Mexico.

Morgan Schneiderlin is with France for their home friendly with Brazil, on Thursday, while Josh Sims could feature for England Under-18s in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Switzerland, before another four of the club’s stars take centre stage on Friday.

Notably, Nathaniel Clyne is expected to start for England in their Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania, at Wembley, while Maya Yoshida is in Japan for their friendly against Tunisia.

James Ward-Prowse and Matt Targett are with the England Under-21s for their friendly away to Czech Republic.

Saturday sees Graziano Pelle in Euro 2016 qualifying action for Italy, away to Bulgaria, with Toby Alderweireld likely to line-up for Belgium in their home qualifier against Cyprus.

Sadio Mane is with Senegal for a friendly against Ghana, in Le Havre, while Sims and England Under-18s play Switzerland in a second friendly.

Sunday is the busiest day, with as many as ten Saints involved.

Three could play in the same game, with Portugal hosting Serbia in a qualifier, meaning Jose Fonte could be up against Dusan Tadic and Filip Djuricic.

Davis and Northern Ireland face a crunch home qualifier with Finland, while Shane Long is in the Republic of Ireland squad for their qualifier against Poland, in Dublin.

Florin Gardos should have a comfortable evening if he plays for Romania, as they are home to Faroe Islands in a qualifier.

Elsewhere, Schneiderlin could be back on the pitch, with France hosting Denmark in a friendly, while Reed, Turnbull and Stephens will go again for the England Under-20s, this time at home to USA in a friendly.

Next Monday, Ward-Prowse and Targett will be part of the Under-21 squad hosting Germany in a friendly, before the action rounds-off on Tuesday.

There is just one qualifier then, with Belgium and Alderweireld visiting Belgium, while the rest of the games are friendlies.

Pelle and Clyne could go head-to-head, as Italy host England.

Japan and Yoshida face Uzbekistan at home, while Fonte’s Portugal welcome Cape Verde Islands.

Mane could feature for Senegal against French club side Le Havre AC, while Cropper could also play for USA away to Switzerland.