SAINTS have announced their fourth pre-season friendly of the summer, welcoming Monaco to St Mary's later this month.
It will be the first of two high-profile European clubs to visit the south coast that week, with a clash against last season's Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal already pencilled in for Saturday, July 30.
Ligue 1 Monaco, managed by former Coventry City defender Philippe Clement, will head to St Mary's on Wednesday, July 27, with the game kicking off at 7.45pm.
There is one familiar face in the principality's squad, in former Saint Takumi Minamino.
The Japan international spent part of the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Saints, netting twice in 10 appearances.
He completed a permanent move from Liverpool to Monaco this summer, for a reported fee of around £15million.
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Monaco's squad also includes the prolific Wissam Ben Yedder, exciting Portugal international Gelson Martins and Russian star Aleksandr Golovin.
They finished third in the top tier of French football last season, behind Marseille and runaway champions PSG.
Saints begin their pre-season schedule against Klagenfurt on Monday, July 18, during their pre-season training camp in Austria.
They then face Championship outfit Watford, at Wealdstone FC, on July 23, before hosting Monaco.
The Premier League season begins with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, August 6.
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