Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is delighted with their swoop for Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld.
Alderweireld joins on a season-long loan from Spanish champions Atlético Madrid, where he lifted the La Liga trophy and played in the UEFA Champions League final last season.
Koeman commented: "I am delighted that we have been able to bring Toby to the club.
"I know him very well because he played for some years for Ajax in Holland and he then made a transfer to Atlético Madrid, where he hasn't been playing an awful lot, which is why he was looking for somewhere else to play.
"I think our first conversation was four or five days ago and I told him about our plans, about the ambition of the club and about how we play.
"He is a strong defender, and is also very good at building up the play when we play out from the back.
"He played in the top league in Spain and against top teams in Europe, so he has a lot of confidence and experience, and he has a big future because he is still young.
"We needed competition in our squad, and with Toby here we now have a lot of possibilities and quality."
