FOUR of Europe’s big clubs are reportedly competing to sign Saints full-back Ryan Bertrand this summer, as his contract at St Mary’s expires.

Goal.com claim the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan and Monaco are interested in the 31-year-old, who will be a free agent in the summer.

The media outlet also report Manchester City have made contact about the former Chelsea defender.

Bertrand has been at Saints since 2014 and has chalked up 240 appearances for the south coast side.

He is currently out of action with a calf problem which has kept him out of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s past three squads.

Asked last week whether there was a possibility Bertrand had played his last game for the south coast club, the Austrian manager replied: “I don’t know. Hopefully not, but we don’t know it.”

In an interview with the Daily Echo back in December, Bertrand insisted: “It would be great to be part of this club for the long haul.”

But asked now whether there would be a deadline for the defender to commit to signing a new deal, Hasenhuttl said: “We are still paying attention to other targets.

“That’s normal because the offer we have made has not been accepted from his side.

“Finally, when there is no solution for the future then we will have to look for other options we have in the future.”

Saints have played the likes of Jack Stephens and Mohammed Salisu in Bertrand’s absence in recent weeks.

Full-back Jake Vokins has been on loan at League One Sunderland for the second half of the season.