Southampton are bracing themselves for a January bid from Portsmouth for midfielder Andrew Surman.

With Pompey having already snatched Martin Cranie from their Hampshire neighbours during the summer, Blues assistant boss Tony Adams scouted Surman in a Championship clash at QPR last weekend.

Surman, who can play on the left or in the centre of midfield, is a product of the Southampton Academy system.

The Johannesburg-born star has now become a jewel in the crown at St Marys and has been an ever-present so far this season.