Homesick Anders Svensson finalised a summer move back to Sweden yesterday and confessed: Saints have never seen the best of me.

The enigmatic midfielder has signed a pre-contract agreement to return to Elfsborg - the side which Saints bought him from in 2001 for £750,000 - on a free when his St Mary's contract expires in the summer.

Svensson's new deal runs until 2009 and is believed to be worth about £1m - making him the Swedish League's highest-ever earner.

During his time at Saints, Svensson has made 141 appearances scoring 14 goals and could still be part of Harry Redknapp's squad before his departure in the summer.

He said: "I haven't been able to play the kind of football that I want in Southampton. I have felt that I can't get out 100 per cent of my skills.

"I won't say that it has been bad years in Southampton. Not at all. I'm a better player now than I was when I left Elfsborg.

"I played my best football in the World Cup 2002 after one year in England.

"People say I'm bad defensively, but I saw numbers saying I'm still near the top of the club's list over won tackles this season."

He added: "Of course I have feelings for Southampton and I want to help them stay in the Premier League.

"The fans have been fantastic to me all the time and I really want to give them a nice last present.

"A lot of people have told me they think I've been Southampton's best player this season, and that they can't understand why the club haven't offered me a new contract.

"I don't know what happens now, if they let me play any more. But it would be strange if they wouldn't let me. They need good players to solve the situation."

Svensson was yesterday unveiled to the Swedish press in the Grand Hotel in his home town of Boras and will make his Elfsborg debut on July 4 against Kalmar.

There was a huge media presence for the announcement with Svensson one of the biggest names in Sweden - he had played the 90 minutes for his country in France on Wednesday night

Explaining his decision to return to his homeland he said: "People close to me know that I am homesick.

"When I am among my closest friends and my family my game gets better. And I have always dreamed of winning Allsvenskan (the Swedish League) with Elfsborg. Now I have the chance.

"You'll never know if Elfsborg is my end station. I am not satisfied with what I have achieved this far.

"I want to play in the World Cup next year, and if I play well there I might get a contract abroad again.

"Espanyol was interested before the transfer window closed, but Southampton didn't want to sell. And when Elfsborg visited me in January I felt that this was 100 per cent right for me.

"I had a long talk with the manager about football philosophy and I liked what he said."