DAN Petrescu joined in training with his new club this morning and said: "Maybe I should have come here in the first place."

The Romanian international completed his move to The Dell from Bradford City, with Glenn Hoddle landing the player he has long admired and tried to sign back in the summer.

At that time Saints missed out as they refused to match Petrescu's wage demands.

But with his future uncertain at Valley Parade as Bantams boss Jim Jeffries clears the decks Petrescu was keen to join up with the manager he admits is one of the biggest influences on his career - even if it meant taking a £5,000-a-week pay cut from his £15,000-a-week wage at Bradford.

Although both clubs are tight-lipped about the mechanics of the deal, it is believed Saints paid Bradford a minimal fee of around £100,000 for the Romanian international while agreeing to take on monies owed to him by Bradford, reckoned to be around £700,000.

"I have taken a pay cut to come down here and I am happy to do that because I just wanted to play football.

"I have always said that and to play football with a manager I know and with a club which I think is going in the right direction.

"I know Glenn Hoddle very well. He was definitely instrumental in me coming here.

"He signed me for Chelsea from Sheffield Wednesday and I always said that he changed my career in a sense because I was not playing in Europe with Sheffield Wednesday, I was not winning things.

"When he signed me for Chelsea I was sure I was going to the right club and I had five great years there."

Petrescu's arrival at The Dell seven months after what could have been his original date comes as things went sour for him at Bradford.

"I don't say I regret going to Bradford, it was an experience for me even if it was a bad one.

"Sometimes things like this can help your career. When you don't have a good time somewhere, it can help you to improve.

"I don't regret it because at that time it was the right move.

"I'm very pleased to be here. I have signed a two-and-half year contract, the same amount of time I had at Bradford, and it's now my aim to play two-and-a-half years here."

l Ipswich Town have renewed their interest in Saints Moroccan midfielder Hassan Kachloul.

The clubs agreed a £1.8m deal earlier this season, with Kachloul turning down the chance to join George Burley's high-flying outfit.

Kachloul is out of contract at the end of the season and with talks between him the club due to start next week, Ipswich are ready to step in with a bid to try and prise him away.