Ralph Hasenhuttl is looking to strengthen his backroom staff as well as the playing squad this summer as he prepares Saints for a new era.

Having kept the club in the Premier League this season the Austrian is being given a free hand to make changes in a bid to try and restore the team to one fighting in the top half of the table rather than battling for survival.

Part of that transformation will take place in the transfer market, but Hasenhuttl is also keen to ensure that Saints have the finest minds off the pitch as well.

Hasenhuttl said: “Me as a manager wants to work with expertise in every part of the club.

“I came here and took the staff and wanted to work with them and we adapted to each other and I know what the strengths of everybody is and I want to put the guys into a position where they have the most quality and other areas with a lack of quality maybe we get new guys in.

“We want to invest in the infrastructure of the club and not only new players because as you see in the winter we try to go a different way and if you do so it keeps a bit longer the quality in the club than short term with a new player for example.

“Sure you can get better in this way from signings very good players, new players.

“The other thing we did so far was getting better with hard working and it should be a signal for the future that Southampton should be a hard working club and that means I have to have guys here inside that do 24-7 a week to make this club and these players better. This is what I want in the future.

“I have it in a lot of positions but I want more and that’s what I want for the future.”

With Saints now safe and having the relative luxury of a full squad and staff to work with for just a little longer before people disappear off for the summer, Hasenhuttl is working hard on next season already.

“We try to build the most important things for the next year in the next week,” he said.

“Everybody is here - the team and staff. We want to make a few changes for next year and we must think about getting better in every position in the club.

“We have to be clear what was ok and where we have still potential to grow and then make next year a big step forward.

“Signing players is one thing knowing what expertise we more need in the club is the other thing.

“That is the reason we try to scan every part of the club and that’s what we are doing.”