Southampton boss Claude Puel admits he wanted to sign PSG midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa over the summer.

Puel worked with Ben Arfa at Nice last season.

He told L'Equipe: "I joined later (June 30) and Hatem was in talks with Paris and foreign clubs (the transfer to PSG was formalised on July 1), with astronomical proposals.

"Here the salaries are not high. Some Championship clubs have higher wages than in L1.

"Here, when a player reaches another level, we cannot always continue with them and we look at the players who can be developed."