ORIOL Romeu admits Saints must "accept" that more stars might head for the St Mary's exit door this summer.

The club have seen a number of top players depart in the last three years and the Spaniard has an inkling this coming transfer window will be the same.

Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand among others have both attracted interest from the 'big clubs', with Dusan Tadic, Cedric Soares and Romeu all also linked with moves away.

"As a footballer I need to accept that players move on," Romeu said.

"But if that's what happens we will try to settle down and get better, but also we need to accept that it’s part of football."

The likes of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama and Rickie Lambert have all departed in recent closed seasons.

However, despite those significant departures, Saints have been able to continue to compete in the Premier League through smart recruitment.

Romeu believes Saints can do it again.

"We’ve done it in the last few years," he said. "We believe we’ll be a strong side next year and we’re going to have a strong team to keep fighting for those places at the top of the table and give something surprising."

After an excellent season, the 25-year-old has been linked with a return to Barcelona, where the Catalan made his professional debut and spent the majority of his youth career.

But he has previously stated that he's "very happy" at Saints and is eager to repay the "love" shown to him after establishing himself at St Mary's.

And now the defensive midfielder has urged Saints to continue to bring in players, like him, "with hunger and desire to improve".

"They’ve just got to do what they do every summer," he said, when asked what Saints must do to keep competing in the top half of the Premier League.

"We have always, every summer, had people moving in and out, but we’ve always kept to our philosophy and the style of football we have.

"Hopefully, we can do that and they’ve always been very clever at bringing people in and that’s what will happen.

"We need people with hunger, desire to improve and that will give us the results we need."

Romeu reflected on a stellar campaign just gone, which he says has "been my best season".

"It’s been very good," he said, "I felt amazing since we started. I’ve had confidence from everyone and my team-mates gave me what I needed to push me.

"I just need to thank all of them because I knew I had something inside but they made me realise that I could give it and I could do it every single game.

"I’ve enjoyed it a lot and it’s been my best season without a doubt.

"I just want to carry on and, at the moment, I feel I have room to improve and learn more things.

"I wish to that and I want do that."