Saints seal Pele deal

Southampton have completed the signing of highly-rated Belenenses defender Pele.

The Portuguese stopper has been a target for the South Coast club for some time and came close to a switch to St Mary's during the January transfer window.

Rivals Portsmouth had threatened to wreck the deal earlier in the summer but the 28-year-old has penned a three-year deal with The Saints after passing a medical on Wednesday.

Manager George Burley is currently away with the rest of the squad on a pre-season tour of Sweden but was clearly delighted with Pele's capture.

"I am very pleased to have got him," Burley told the club's official website.

"He will stay in Southampton at the moment to work on his fitness because that comes before matches and he has only trained for a week so far."

The player himself was also happy to secure his move to the Championship outfit after completing the necessities of the deal.

Pele had been linked with Premiership trio West Ham, Portsmouth and Newcastle but opted to join Southampton.

He added: "I am delighted to be joining Southampton. I have seen a lot of the English game on television and I think I will fit in well. I am really looking forward to playing here.

"Southampton are a big club who should be playing in The Premiership and I hope I can help them get back there this season."

Pele becomes Burley's fifth signing of the summer but the former Hearts boss' spending is unlikely to stop there.

The Scot is desperately searching for a goalkeeper with veteran Kevin Miller currently the only recognised keeper at the club, with Sunderland's Kelvin Davis high on his wanted list.