Saints are set to complete their third January signing imminently with full-back James Bree closing in on a move from Luton Town.

The former Aston Villa defender is finally set to have a crack at the Premier League after a lengthy journey through the Championship.

Following January arrivals Mislav Orsic and Charly Alcaraz, Nathan Jones is now looking to make his third new addition of the January transfer window.

READ MORE: Luton Town manager confirms Saints bid for full-back and says deal is 'progressing

25-year-old Bree will reportedly be having a medical today before putting pen-to-paper with Saints in a deal worth around £750,000, the cut-price fee aided by his contract coming to an end this summer.

After progressing through the Barnsley academy, Bree made his first appearance for the Yorkshire club at only 17-years-old, becoming one of his side’s youngest ever debutants. 

After three seasons bouncing between League One and the Championship with Barnsley, Bree joined Aston Villa on a four-and-a-half-year contract before being sent out on season loan to Ipswich Town in 2019.

With Aston Villa’s promotion to the Premier League and the addition of Matty Cash, Bree was deemed surplus to requirements and sent out on another season-long loan to Luton Town before completing a permanent transfer to the Hatters in 2020.

Current Saints manager Jones has a well-established connection with the right-back after the duo worked together during his second spell of management at Kenilworth Road.

Daily Echo:

The Wakefield-born talent was Jones’ first choice full-back, being selected 101 times across a hugely successful era for Luton. 

“He’s a top right-back and we’re lucky to have him,” Jones exclaimed in July 2020, shortly before Luton narrowly avoided relegation back to the third tier on the final day of the season.

Making 142 appearances for Luton, Bree has played every minute of the Hatters 27 Championship games this season, proving a reliable option in the second tier. 

With Tino Livramento continuing his recovery from the serious knee injury he suffered at Brighton in April - and more recently dealing with a hamstring problem that forced him back onto crutches - Saints are in need of increased depth at full-back.

Juan Larios joined from Manchester City in the summer to bolster Saints’ options but the youngster is struggling with a hamstring issue of his own while Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been utilised in a wide defensive role at times as well.

Most recently, Jones has turned to Lyanco and Mohammed Salisu as full-back options with mixed results - making Saints’ pursuit of Bree a sensible decision.

Primarily a right-back, Bree has also operated further forward this season while even deputising at centre-half, providing Jones with increased flexibility.

Unfortunately, though, Saints may not get a chance to see one of Bree’s biggest strengths in action, his set-piece prowess. Known for his free-kicks while at Luton, Bree will have a gigantic task on his hands to take any dead-ball opportunities away from Saints captain James Ward-Prowse.

But that won’t stop us from enjoying this brilliant Bree effort for Luton against Hull City in March... 

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