Southampton's Executive Director of Football Les Reed believes the signing of defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu from Chelsea shows the Saints' commitment to challenging the big clubs.

The Saints completed the £5million signing of the Spaniard on a three-year deal on Wednesday.

The former Spain Under-21 international spent last term on loan at Stuttgart where he played 27 times and was an integral part of the first team and his arrival is a massive boost for the Saints according to Reed.

"We are extremely happy to be able to bring Oriol to the club on a permanent basis," he told the club's official website.

"Once again, we are demonstrating our commitment to compete seriously on all fronts this season by continuing to build a squad with depth and quality.

"Oriol is a player we have had on the radar for some time - he was a prominent figure in the Chelsea team of 2011/12, when he made 24 appearances as a 20 year-old.

"Like Ryan Bertrand, we believe we have recruited another Chelsea player with an excellent pedigree but also with lots of potential to develop.

"He is another player who matches the Southampton profile - he is young and hungry, has been developed at a top academy and has already played at the highest level with plenty more to come.

"He will complement the qualities we already have among our squad and provide another level of competition for selection."