JANNIK Vestergaard insists he wants to stay and fight for his place at Saints this season, despite speculation linking him with a move away from the club.

The Dane was reportedly a target of Leicester City this summer and admitted he was "close" to leaving Saints earlier in the year.

But the 28-year-old now feels his future is on the south coast having started each of the final three games of the last campaign.

In quotes translated from an interview with Danish outlet bold.dk, Vestergaard said: "I must not hide the fact that there have been periods when it seemed that I should not continue (at Saints). I was also close (to leaving) this winter, but in the communication with the club, they made it clear that they did not see our collaboration ending.

"They and the coach have been happy with what I have delivered when I was not really part of the team, and now that I am around the starting line-up and have delivered, I definitely see myself continuing at Southampton next season.

"Football is strange, and I have been with it long enough to know it can look completely different tomorrow. So I have never made any guarantees, but at the moment I would like to be a part of Southampton."

Having arrived at St Mary's for £18million from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2018, Vestergaard has featured 47 times for the club, netting one goal.

"I see myself being fully involved in the battle for playing time, and I think the coach will confirm that as well," he said.

"I try to stay focused on what I have an influence on. I have been made aware that there has been different interest, but it is not something I want to go further into. It is my agent's job.

"We have agreed I will continue as at the end of the season. The coach has been very pleased with my development and that of the team, and with the increased focus on ball possession, I think he sees me having a bigger role.

"That's the focus right now. Just as football can go fast in terms of transfers, so it can also go fast in terms of who plays and does not.

"It's all about performance. I did well towards the end of the season and I have to confirm that again. But I believe in it and I want to play as much as possible."

Saints had added centre-back Mohamed Salisu to their squad this summer, to compete with the likes of Vestergaard, Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek.

And the Dane is relishing the battle to earn a starting spot.

"I know we have a healthy competition and at the end of the season we (himself, Stephens and Bednarek) played roughly the same amount. And I feel good about that competition and thrive in it. It will also sharpen our performance.

"I do not panic if I do not play the first one, but I have enough confidence that I have a hope that I will play. I cannot make any guarantees, but if we fight on a level playing field, and it is clearly my impression that we do, then I am quite sure I will have plenty of matches."