Southampton new boy Jay Rodriguez is confident he and the club can be a success in the Premier League
Striker confident of success next season
Southampton new boy Jay Rodriguez is confident he and the club can be a success in the Premier League.
Rodriguez, who joined Southampton from Burnley for a club record fee of £6.5million earlier this summer, netted his first goal for the club in the pre-season friendly with Arsenal on Saturday.
The 22-year-old admitted it was a wrench to leave Burnley, but he is relishing the challenge of pitting his wits against the best of the Premier League.
"For Southampton to get back to where they belong is a great achievement and I wanted to be a part of it. It was a wrench to leave Burnley," Rodriguez told the Daily Star.
"I could not turn down the opportunity to play in the Premier League, though. We do not have any fear about playing anybody.
"It is going to be an exciting year. We want to show we can do it in the Premier League.
"Southampton have got ambition. We showed that to get back in the Premier League and I do not see them dropping out of it again."
Target
Rodriguez, who scored 41 goals in 87 games for Burnley, admits he has set himself a goals target for next season as he looks to justify his price-tag.
"I want to help us be successful," added Rodriguez. "It is a different standard in the Premier League.
"I have a goals target in my head and I'm confident I can do well.
"I never think about the price tag. It does not add any extra pressure, I just want to do as well as I can for the team."