Sugawara spoke to the former Saints defender ahead of today's transfer.
“I talked to Maya first. He sent me a text one day, ‘you want to go to Southampton?’ and he said some football things, but after that he just said to me ‘you can live in my house!’” Sugawara told the club's website,
“He called me and I asked about football things, but he just said ‘live in my house!’ Maya is my legend, because I grew up in almost the same steps. I played for the same club in Japan, and me and him went to the Netherlands, and then to Southampton, so everything the same. I asked him a lot.
“Also I spoke with Taki (Minamino) and Clasie. They only say positive things about Southampton, for example the people who work for Southampton are just nice people.
“I like to talk with people with a smile. I have good things to come here, so I am very happy to be here and I appreciate them to know good things about Southampton.”
He added, “I speak English just a little bit so I have to learn first, but I want to communicate with teammates more and want to enjoy time in the locker room.
“I usually play as a right-back, but I like to attack. My strong point is to make some difference in attack and in the box, and the last pass – to assist and score – because I am focused on numbers. I like to play with the ball.
“Also defending, I just fight to defend the goal and win the game. I am ready to fight!”