SAINTS must act now to line-up a replacement for Dusan Tadic with the Serbian increasingly likely to depart for Dutch giants Ajax this summer.

The Daily Echo understands that the club are deep in discussions over a possible switch for Tadic, who is said to be keen on a move back to the Netherlands, where he has previously had a lot of success with FC Twente and Groningen.

The 29-year-old has a contract at Saints until 2020 but has perennially been linked with a move away from St Mary’s and it is said he feels an offer like this from a huge club will unlikely happen again if he doesn’t take it now.

Although it’s not a move to a 'big' club in the Premier League, it still guarantees Champions League football and Tadic will be returning to the Eredivisie, where he had great success.

It is understood this is a deal which the player and his agent are attracted to, rather than Saints looking to sell their most productive player from last season.

If this move comes to fruition, however, it will leave Saints needing to replace a regular starter and a player Mark Hughes is very fond of.

“Since I’ve come here I’ve been really impressed with the quality of his work, his demeanour, his personality around the group,” Hughes said last season.

“I am pleased he is starting to have this impact for us because he deserved that because he’s a great personality to have in this situation.”

Saints have started to pursue potential targets in the transfer window but are aware that Tadic’s departure will force them to change tack.

The attacking midfielder area was already heavily reliant on Tadic to perform, with no other player producing as consistently as the Serb last term.

Saints were well aware of this in the January transfer window and as such tried to land Spartak Moscow star Quincy Promes.

They failed to get a deal done for the Netherlands international and the club have so far not gone back in for the 26-year-old.

Saints will need to redouble their efforts in the transfer window to find a suitable replacement and further additions in that area, if their best attacking midfielder exits.

A fee of around £15m has been mooted but Saints will push hard to get as much as they can for Tadic, who has two years left on his current contract.

Tadic has been a key man for Saints since joining the club from Twente for £10.9m in 2014.