IF SAINTS want to keep key players like Victor Wanyama this summer then the club MUST get Ronald Koeman to sign a new contract.

That is the strong statement from Saints legend Matthew Le Tissier who says that getting the Dutchman to extend his deal beyond the summer of 2017 is of the highest priority.

Le Tiss has also urged St Mary's to back the boss financially in the transfer market, which would be an incentive for Koeman to extend his stay.

“The number one priority for me is to tie the manager down on a new contract,” he said.

“I hope we get an announcement soon but for me looking at it the squad’s pretty well balanced.

“The most important thing is tying the manager down and letting him strengthen the departments he sees fit.”

There are a couple of guarantees that Koeman will want if he is to put pen to paper, according to Le Tiss.

“I guess he’d (Koeman) want some assurances from the club that there’s money for investment,” he mused.

“I’m sure with the new TV deal coming in there will be funds available for him and just that the club match his own ambitions. That’s the kind of be-all end-all really.”

Over the last couple of campaigns there have been departures of key playing personnel at St Mary’s, but this time around Le Tiss wants things to be different.

Saints have been helpless to allow the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin, Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana exit St Mary’s in the last two years.

But if they can keep Koeman, then that will help prove to wantaway players that Saints mean business.

“If we get the manager tied down and we get a couple of players in to strengthen, we’ve got the nucleus of a very good side as we’ve proved again with another top half finish,” he said.

“It would be nice to spend in the summer and not see all our better players leave and having to fill in and go again.

“It would be nice to a have solid base to start from this time.”

Wanyama, along with Graziano Pelle, is also out of contract in 2017.

The combative Kenyan has been linked away almost continually to the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham.

“That’s one of the ones you worry about, with the speculation that’s surrounded him,” explained Le Tiss in regards to the 24-year-old defensive midfielder.

“In the last few summers we’ve lost a couple of keys players, so hopefully he’ll see that Southampton’s ambitions are as big as his and he’ll stay.”

Le Tissier, who netted 209 goals in 540 appearances during his time at Saints, has pinpointed areas that his beloved club should strengthen in during the transfer window.

“I would say we would possibly need a little bit more cover at centre-back and centre midfielder,” he reckoned.

“I think maybe one more creative player in the centre of midfield.

“A killer pass from midfield is something we’ve lacked.

“There is a lot of quality, but I think just that creative spark, someone that’s going to give you a dozen/15 assists in a season.

“If you can add that to what we’ve got at the moment, I think we’d be pretty good.”