Southampton keeper Fraser Forster has been reflecting on a "season of almosts".

"We've had a bit of a tough season. It's been a season of almosts," he told Sky Sports.

"We should have done a bit better in the Europa League. We should have probably got out of the group, but it was a fantastic experience for the club.

"When you look at how other teams have done when they've played Europa League and Premier League as well, they've tended to struggle. We've just lacked a bit of consistency."

"It's been a strange campaign for us. We did really well in the League Cup, but we didn't win it in the end," added Forster, who kept 14 clean sheets after playing every minute of the Saints' league outings.

"Getting to Wembley and the EFL Cup final was fantastic for us but, equally, if you get to a final you want to win it and I also think for us it would have been fantastic to have finished in the European places again."

"It will be an important summer for the club and I think, you look at the Europa League experience, and once we've had a taste of that a club wants to be there every year and we all do," the 29 year old continued.

"I think it will be a big summer for us and hopefully, a couple of players will come in and add a bit more depth to the squad."

"When you look at how good our squad is and how fantastic some of the players have been, it's always important to keep your main players whatever club you're at," he said.

"If we can do that then that will serve us a good foundation for having a good season next year.

"Obviously it's hard for players when big clubs come in for them and it's obviously been off the back of them having a great season themselves.

"When you speak to everyone at the club and what they want to achieve, there's no reason why we can't keep those players and achieve those things together."