Saints have completed a late transfer deadline day swoop for Austrian defender Kevin Danso.

An afternoon of drama saw Saints submit a deal sheet to the Premier League to grant them a two-hour extension to the 5pm deadline in order to get the deal over the line.

The Daily Echo understands that the delay was due to Augsburg wanting final confirmation from the German FA before they are happy to announce the move but all the relevant paperwork is complete, with the club in no doubt that he will be their player today.

Danso joins on a season long loan with Saints having an exclusive option to make the move permanent next summer. He is expected to join up with the squad after the weekend.

The 20-year-old has played as a midfielder as well as a defender, but Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl sees him very much as a centre half.

Danso is a signing in the mould of exactly what Hasenhuttl wants – young and hungry for a chance to prove himself in the Premier League but not entirely inexperienced.

He was born in Austria to Ghanaian parents but moved to Milton Keynes aged six, joining the MK Dons academy and staying there until 2014.

At that stage he moved to Germany to join FC Augsburg and in 2018 became the youngest league player in the club’s history as he made his debut aged just 18.

Since then Danso has played 20 times in the Bundesliga and been promoted through the youth ranks to win six senior caps for Austria.

He is the sixth senior centre half at the club along with Jan Bednarek, Maya Yoshida, Jannik Vestergaard, Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens.

Danso’s arrival puts further pressure on Saints to try and lose one central defender before the transfer windows close abroad.