MAREK Saganowksi and Wayne Thomas look set to be included in Alan Pardew’s first competitive team as Saints boss.

Thomas’ return from injury for the League One season opener against Millwall tomorrow is a major boost.

Especially as a deal to sign Tunisian international centre half Radhi Jaidi is now looking highly unlikely to proceed.

Saganowski is set to partner academy graduate Matt Paterson up front with Grzegorz Rasiak injured – even though he, like Rasiak, still sees his future away from St Mary’s.

New signings Graeme Murty and Dan Harding are in line for their debuts at right and left back respectively.

Pardew said: “Murts and Dan Harding bring big experience at full back at Championship level.

“Both of those could play in that division so they will bring us strength in those areas and help our wide players who are both very, very young.

“Wayne Thomas is fit and training so it’s very likely he will start.

“He will be very important to us – we have got one what I would call number one centre half and when he was injured for QPR we were always going to struggle against a team as powerful as them.

“Him missing that game was part of the reason we performed so badly so having him back is a massive boost.”

Not such a boost, though, is the news regarding the possible signing of Jaidi.

Though Pardew has refused to say the deal is dead, it is not looking good.

Jaidi had passed a medical and agreed personal terms at St Mary’s and was all set to join until it was revealed there would be a potential problem getting him a work permit.

Bosses at St Mary’s are taking advice before deciding how to proceed but they will not apply for a work permit unless they are confident of it being granted.

“I’m looking to strengthen all areas of team,” said Pardew.

“He is somebody I’ve been linked with and we’ve been trying to do a deal, but I’d have to say that is going away from us at the moment.

“I don’t want to really elaborate on that because it’s not fair on the player or us but we’re certainly looking for that type of player, that power and experience we need for this division.”

Thomas’ experience – he won promotion from League One with Stoke back in 2002 – will be crucial against Millwall’s Gary Alexander- Steve Morison strike pairing.

Alexander has averaged around 13 goals a season for the last decade playing in the bottom two divisions, while Morison belted over 30 for Stevenage in the Blue Square Premier last term.