OLIVIER BERNARD admits Saints remain his most likely club for next season - although everything looks set to hinge on winning the relegation battle.

The 25-year-old has brought added quality to Harry Redknapp's team since joining from Newcastle during the January transfer window on a short-term contract that lasts until the summer.

And, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Echo, the left-back confirmed he will wait until the end of the season before making any firm decisions on his future.

He said: "I don't want to rush things, I'm at Southampton and that is good for me.

"I'm enjoying myself and, when the time comes, I will decide where I will be going.

"Southampton will probably be my first choice but, at the moment, I just want to play my football and enjoy the rest of the season.

"I've been around the area and it's really nice. I like the city, I've made a couple of friends and things are going quite well for me."

The Bernard deal was almost hijacked by Birmingham on the final day of the January transfer window, but the Frenchman already felt loyalty to manager Redknapp.

He said: "He is big manager, he has worked all over England.

"When you have got a man like that saying you can be a real success with the club it gives you confidence.

"He said that he had some difficulty to sign players and he just asked for help.

"I find it really easy to talk to him. He's a top man - really understanding.

"He knows football, you can see over the last few weeks what he has done for the club.

"Everyone is pleased with the way the team have performed."

Bernard is confident about the final eight games of the season, believing that Saints - now out of the bottom three for the first time since late November - are currently playing like a team in the top-half of the table.

Since the end of the transfer window, Saints have only lost once in six Premiership games and are unbeaten in the last five.

He added: "The club deserves to be in the Premier League.

"We have got a good enough squad to finish the season really well.

"The way we are playing at the minute is like a team in the top ten."