Saints are set to obliterate their transfer record by spending more than £20m on Lille star Sofiane Boufal.

The club are set to signal a massive statement of intent with the landmark signing of the attacking midfielder.

Boufal is regarded as one of the brightest talents currently playing in European football, with the 22-year-old’s impending signature a massive coup for Saints.

He came through the youth system at Angers before moving to Lille in January 2015, where he has set Ligue 1 alight with his outrageous skill and goalscoring, with 14 goals in 43 appearances for the French side.

Barcelona, Paris St Germain, Arsenal and Chelsea have all expressed an interest in signing Boufal, such is his ability, but it is Saints who have dramatically stolen a march on their rivals and are set to tie up a deal in the next few days.

The deal will put into the shade the near £15m Saints paid for their previous record signing Dani Osvaldo.

It should also settle supporters who have been itching for a major signing this summer after the departures of Victor Wanyama, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle.

Saints are also adamant that Jose Fonte will still be their player when the transfer window closes.

There has been a fresh raft of speculation that Manchester United will make an offer for the Euro 2016 winning central defender, though as yet nothing has been forthcoming.

Reports have suggested that United boss Jose Mourinho will wait until transfer deadline day next Wednesday before launching his raid in a bid to try and rush a move through at the last minute.

However, the Daily Echo understands that Saints remain steadfast in their stance that Fonte will stay at the club.

Saints have negotiated a significant pay rise for Fonte, which it is believed the skipper has indicated he is happy with.

Now the contract remains on the table waiting to be signed.

If it is not then Saints will keep their captain on his current salary with his deal running until the summer of 2018.

Whether they would withdraw the offer on or after transfer deadline day if Fonte waits it out to see what happens is unclear, but Saints are determined not to let him go.

For his part, Fonte remains a model professional, as he has throughout his time at Saints, and is expected to lead the team to face Sunderland at St Mary’s on Saturday.

He has also reiterated time and again how happy he is at Saints, and his clear passion for the club and the area could be enough to seal the deal.

Cuco Martina is waiting to discover his future with Everton prepared to pay around £2.5m to try and reunite him with Ronald Koeman, who signed the right back for Saints for £1m a year ago.