SAINTS have completed their first major signing of the season with the capture of Ajax left-back Jelle van Damme.

The fantastically-named 20-year-old Belgian international has joined for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £2.5m.

Standing at 6ft 4in Van Damme is a strapping lad who manager Paul Sturrock hopes will provide competition and cover for Graeme Le Saux at left-back after the former England star's injury ravaged second half of the season.

And Saints were today poised to unveil another new arrival at St Mary's - Sturrock's former Plymouth Argyle assistant manager Kevin Summerfield.

The ex-Birmingham striker was Sturrock's right-hand man at Home Park for over three years and is expected to join Saints on July 1 as a first team coach.

Van Damme, right, is the first major signing made by Sturrock, who has travelled throughout Europe since the Premiership season ended spying on potential signings.

And, with Luggy desperate to get his squad for 2004/05 in place by the time Saints go to Austria for pre-season training on July 10, more signings could be imminent.

Regarding Van Damme, Saints chairman Rupert Lowe said: "He is a tough character and a good player. We are delighted to have got him. He fits the mould of the kind of players we like to sign. He is big and strong and young.

"He has a fair amount of experience for someone of his age and he is already an established international with a big future.

"We think he will do well in the Premiership.

"It is a big signing for us."

The deal was sealed late yesterday afternoon. But there was no chance for Van Damme to be introduced to the local media - including the Sains' own website - as he had to catch a plane back home.

Van Damme, despite his young age, has already won seven caps for his country - the first against Croatia in March last year in a Euro 2004 qualifier.

He had risen through the international ranks of representing Belgium at under-19 level, under-21s and then the senior side.

He started his career with Beveren before switching to hometown club Sporting Lokeren and then Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen.

It was there that Van Damme impressed Ajax enough to get a loan spell in Amsterdam and then a permanent move to the former European giants in May 2002 on a three-year deal.

Van Damme made his debut for Ajax in a 4-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam in April 2002, but broke his big toe in November that year to limit him to just 11 league and eight Champions League appearances.

One of those was in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Highbury while he was red-carded against Rosenborg for handball.

Last season Van Damme's chances were restricted to two Champions League matches by the form of Brazilian Maxwell and he moves to Saints in the hope of regular first team football.

But he will still have to fight to get past Le Saux, whose two-year contract at St Mary's expires next summer.

Danny Higginbotham should now be free to challenge for his preferred centre back role, with the main question mark hanging over Stephen Crainey - the Scottish international left-back who only joined Saints for £500,000 from Glasgow Celtic in January.