Eljero Elia says he would love to remain a Saints player next season - but admits he is still waiting to hear from the club about his future.

The winger is on loan at St Mary’s until the end of the campaign, having joined on a short-term deal from German side Werder Bremen in January.

Elia, 28, is hoping he can make the switch permanent in the summer, but is unsure about what will happen.

“I don’t know,” he said, when asked about his future.

“They (the club) say nothing about it.

“I speak with the coach about it, who was positive.

“We know the team performance is not 100 per cent, so I don’t have to look to that, I have to look to my own [performances].”

Elia, who was hampered by an ankle knock in late February and then into March, added: “Ok, after my injury, it was not so like before, but I keep fighting and doing my thing and I want to be important.

“I want to stay 100 per cent, so it is to the club what they decide.

“Otherwise, I have one contracted year with Werder Bremen.

“I will not stay at Werder Bremen, but I will go to another club then if they don’t want me.”

Elia, who played for the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final and returned to his national team’s set-up this year, enjoyed a brilliant start to his time at Saints, notably scoring both goals in a 2-1 win at Newcastle in January.

He has been in and out of the team recently, however.

His chances of staying will likely be boosted if Saints do achieve qualification for the Europa League, with manager Ronald Koeman having previously indicated he would want to increase his squad numbers in that situation.

Elia is not the only loan player who the club must make a decision over this summer.

There is also Serbia international Filip Djuricic, another January arrival, who joined from Portuguese outfit Benfica.

The 23-year-old has started just two league games in that time, though, also making five substitute appearances.

Toby Alderweireld is, of course, the most prominent loanee to be considered, but Saints must first wait to see if parent club Atletico Madrid recall him, as expected, and then if they are willing to sell him - at which point the cost and the player’s own wishes would come into the equation.