WAYNE BRIDGE will more than double his wages to in excess of £1.5m a year when he signs for mega-rich Chelsea.

The England left-back finalised personal terms and successfully completed a medical over the weekend and is set to sign a five-year contract today.

His new salary will be in the region of £30,000 a week.

Saints are set to receive £7m plus Graeme Le Saux for the deal, having reportedly fought off a cheeky last-minute attempt by Pompey to sign the former England international.

Le Saux, 34, is expected to have a medical at St Mary's today, before completing his switch to Saints on a two-year contract.

It is also still thought Saints will use the £7m to bolster their cover down the left-flank with Charlton's Paul Konchesky and Lens' Cyril Rool remaining possible targets.

Bridge's representative Jonathan Barnett said negotiations between Chelsea and Bridge had progressed smoothly and that he expected Bridge to be unveiled today.

He said: "Wayne is very excited by the move, but is sad to be leaving Southampton, where he had a great time. He loves the place and the fans but it is the right time for him to move and he seems to be going to the right club."

Yet another incentive for Bridge emerged yesterday when it was revealed that Chelsea are considering building a new training complex at Popham, near Basingstoke, just 30 minutes drive from his home in Winchester.

The London team currently train near Heathrow, less than an hour from Winchester.

Bridge has also admitted he felt playing Champions League football next season could help him displace Arsenal's Ashley Cole as England's leading left-back. It is expected that he will now head out with his new Chelsea team-mates to Malaysia where they are playing in an international tournament.

Le Saux, meanwhile, could still be included on Saints' pre-season tour of Sweden, which starts tomorrow, after returning from Italy on Friday for talks, as revealed in the Daily Echo.