Southampton want to be playing in the Champions League within five years, says executive director Les Reed. Reed said: "We'd like to think we have the structure to [reach the Champions League] in the next five years.

"But it's important to be established as a top-six club over that period."

Under new boss Ronald Koeman they are a point behind sixth-placed Tottenham and will guarantee European football next season if they finish in the top six.

Reed, who was acting as a mentor at Kick it Out's Raise Your Game conference, told BBC Sport: "We seem to set some kind of record every year now. It's been a fantastic season.

"For us, we have proven we were not a flash in the pan in terms of the Premier League, we were eighth last year and we still think we can get a top-six finish.

"We also have some silverware with the under-21s winning the Premier League Cup, so we are still on an upward curve and we have plans to compete at this level for many years to come.

"I would be disappointed if we didn't make Europe this season, but we have set our own standards now and we are confident over the course of the coming years we will play in Europe and we are confident we are right to have an aspiration to play in the Champions League."