CLAUDE Puel admitted the distraction of Jose Fonte’s transfer saga has made it harder for Saints to prepare for tonight’s EFL Cup game against Liverpool.

But the Saints boss insisted his team have their eyes fixed firmly on the prize.

Fonte’s request to quit the club this month has led Puel to take the decision to leave his skipper out of the team for the time being - including tonight’s semi-final first leg at St Mary’s.

Puel confessed it has been hard to deal with, but insisted his side were focussed on doing well in both the domestic cups.

He said: “I think yes, perhaps it is a little difficult of course because the situation for Jose and perhaps other players.

“The window market is always very difficult for the squad and very difficult for the player also.

Speculation

“Around the player it is always speculation, possibilities .. this is the market.

“We are professionals, the staff, the players, and we have the ability, the capacity, to keep concentration about our work.

“We have an exciting game on Wednesday and the most important is this, concentration about this game, exciting game, strong game, strong challenge. This is the most important.”

It is 30 years since Saints last reached this stage of the League Cup and Puel added: “Around this competition is important of course, but this competition and the FA Cup also is an opportunity for us to win something.

“We can have more possibilities on this competition than to win the Premier League. This is normal I think.

“It is important to play this game with pleasure, good work, and give all our possibilities and after we will see.

“It is two important games with the second one away is difficult.

“It is like the Champions League with the second round away. It’s always difficult.

“These two games are very interesting for the development of the team ... I say it is until now a good answer for the squad because all the players participate in this competition.

“We want to make a strong result for our fans and for all the squad, but we will see.

“Just now concentration about this first at home and to keep an opportunity to qualify in the second round.

“It is the first before the second.”