NIGEL Adkins has missed out on signing Neil Danns after the midfielder opted for a switch to cash-rich Leicester.

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Saints were one of many sides interested in taking the former Crystal Palace midfielder on a free transfer after his contract expired at Selhurst Park.

Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic were both keen, but Danns opted to stay south of the border and in the Championship.

He has signed a three year deal at the Walkers Stadium that begins next month.

It may be a disappointment for Saints that the goalscoring 28-year-old has opted for Leicester.

But the Foxes are not short of cash this summer as they make a concerted push for the Premier League under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Eriksson has also signed Leeds keeper Kasper Schmeichel for an undisclosed fee, believed to be over £1m, and has had a £3m bid for Peterborough striker Craig Mackail-Smith accepted by Posh.

Schmeichel, who played for Eriksson at both Manchester City and Notts County, has agreed a three-year contract.

Regarding Dann, Foxes’ football director Andrew Neville said: “Neil is a player that has drawn a lot of interest due to his performances in recent seasons.

“Sven and his staff were very impressed with him last season and his quality and versatility will add considerable strength to the squad.”

Scottish champions Rangers had been keen to sign Danns, who made 49 appearances for Palace last season and scored nine goals.

He began his career as a trainee at Blackburn and signed for Colchester for a nominal fee in December 2004.

Birmingham paid £500,000 to take him to St Andrew’s in 2006 and he moved on to Palace in January 2008 for £600,000.

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith says he is baffled as to why players would choose the Championship over the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

He said: “I believe it shouldn’t always be about money.

“My own opinion is that players should be making decisions which are football decisions, rather than financial.

“I tried to do that myself when I was an agent, I tried to say to the player to make the right football decision.

“If I was a player coming through, would I go to a club playing in the Champions League or go to a club that’s playing in the Championship?

“I know where I would want to go.

“It’s a shame because you lose players who don’t quite see it that way. But we move on.

“If a player decides not to come to us, we have to take the attitude that maybe it’s not such a bad thing.

“He’s maybe not got the right attitude that we want because what we really want is people who see us as the place to come to.”

Saints are trying to strengthen their midfield area as well as their front line.

They have also enquired after Chelsea’s Jack Cork and Readng’s Brian Howard, as well as being linked with Bari midfielder Emanuel Bentio Rivas.

Adkins may now opt to increase his focus on trying to land one of them after missing out on Danns.