SAINTS will now focus their attentions on strengthening other areas of the team after landing defender Jannik Vestergaard.

The powerful centre-back joined from Borussia Monchengladbach in an £18m deal yesterday, giving Mark Hughes further options in defence.

It leaves Saints with five frontline options at centre-back, which the club will feel is sufficient depth for Hughes, even with the St Mary’s chief planning to continue utilising a three-at-the-back system.

Maya Yoshida, Wesley Hoedt, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and now Vestergaard will compete back there for places.

This summer’s transfer strategy, therefore, will now switch to other areas of the team, leaving any potential deals for Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson and Barcelona’s Marlon Santos off the table.

A new right-back could be on the agenda, with first-choice Cedric Soares the only orthodox option there after Jeremy Pied’s departure.

Although, there are options to convert players — like James Ward-Prowse — into a right wing-back option rather than going out and buying a new option there.

Fulham remain firm admirers of Matt Targett, after the left-back impressed on loan at Craven Cottage last term, but Saints are said to be keen on keeping the highly-rated 22-year-old as competition for Ryan Bertrand.

In attack, Saints have Charlie Austin, Manolo Gabbiadini, Shane Long and Sam Gallagher as striker options, leaving them well-stocked there even after Guido Carrillo’s exit on loan to Leganes.

A lot will likely depend whether Gallagher makes another loan move away, with Sheffield United and Aston Villa said to be interested in the rangy frontman.

If so, Saints may feel in need of another option up top.

With now just over three weeks until the end of the end of the transfer window, it will be intriguing to see which areas Saints now target to improve.